Forever and a Day
by Cynthia Salander
Summary: They thought it would never happen to them, but then, it did. They thought it was a mistake and brushed it aside as one, not knowing it had the potential to change their lives forever. Mondler.
1. Prologue

_A/N: T_he title of the story is from the song "I will love you" by Fisher.__

**Forever and a Day**

**Prologue**

A sinking ship. Cold breeze and a sinking ship.

Monica tossed and turned around in a bed that felt foreign beneath her body, her brain pulling her deeper into the dream. Her skin slick with sweat, despite the cold air, she struggled to pull herself out of the maze.

The effects on the body and mind are bad enough when you're _that _drunk, and to top it off, she was having a nightmare.

The ship sank completely beneath the surface of the water, the last of the bubbles bursting at the surface, leaving the water clear, calm and black under the midnight sky.

She woke up with a start, her fingers instinctively rising to brush the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. She clutched the sheets which were gliding down her skin, to her chest, just as she realized she was naked. She took a deep breath, willing the pounding headache to stop.

The moonlight was slanting through the slight gap between the curtains, but it was coming from the wrong side, at a wrong angle. She shook her head, wondering whether her alcohol-addled brain, combined with the nightmare, was playing tricks on her mind, but that still didn't explain her state of undress. She sat unmoving for a couple of seconds, trying to focus her eyes on a spot that wasn't wavering.

Her eyes finally settled on something. A pair of red boxers.

She felt her heart stop beating for a couple of seconds, and then hammer rapidly against her ribs. She lifted her eyes from the floor and looked around the room, but not before her eyes recognized the grey dress that she was wearing the previous evening and the familiar, well-worn, faded blue T-shirt on the floor.

She knew this room, she knew this bed.

She knew the man who was lying beside her.

~.~.~


	2. Chapter 1

_A/N: First of all, I would like to thank Lainel and Bingsrule for their reviews. I really appreciate it :) Now, here's the second chapter. But you'll have to be familiar with the events of "TOW the birth" (season 1) to fully understand this._

Disclaimer: Yup, I still own nothing - not the characters, not the lines from the show.

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 1**

"Chandler, Chandler, wake up," he heard a woman's strained whisper in his ear. '_Sounds like Monica' _he thought idly, his eyes still tightly shut owing to his tiredness.

He wondered why he was so tired. Maybe because of all the alcohol. And the _physical activity_. Even in his sleep, a goofy grin spread across his face at that.

_Wait, what? Physical activity?_

_Physical activity?!_

His eyes shot open and he sat bolt upright in his bed. Sure enough, it was Monica who was sitting beside him, clutching the sheets to her chest.

One look at her face, he knew what had happened. "Oh, God," he murmured, shaking his head. _This is not good, this is **so **not good._

He worked his hand discreetly under the sheets to check whether he was wearing underwear. Nothing. "Oh, God!" This time, it came out a little louder.

His temples suddenly throbbed like a hundred tiny men were striking his head with hundred tiny hammers. He clutched his head in his hands, backtracking through his foggy memory of the night before. When the throbbing intensified after a few seconds of thinking, he gave up.

He looked at her again, and he knew she was just as shaken as he was, if not more. She kept looking down, but he could see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"How?" he managed to whisper finally, hoping she'd be able to give some sort of explanation.

She shook her head as she lowered her head further, tears now freely flowing down her cheeks. "Guess we got drunk and it got out of hand," she murmured back, her voice hitching at three different places.

_Monica._ He had slept with _Monica. _Of all the people he could have gotten drunk and ruined his friendship with, why _her_?

He sighed in exasperation, running his fingers through his hair, feeling his own eyes mist with tears.

_Your blue eyes are all I'd want for my baby. _Her voice, soft but sure, flitted through his memory. He grasped at it tightly for the warmth that it provided at this disastrous moment, and with the hope that it held the clue to what had happened the previous night.

A second later, it all rushed to him. Ben, the hospital, depressed Monica, him trying to comfort her...

_When we're 40, if neither one of us are married, what do you say you and I get together and have one?_

"Ben." He turned to her slowly, the color draining from his cheeks. "We came home from the hospital."

~.~

**Previous day**

"Okay, I am gonna stay here with Carol and Ben tonight." Ross smiled at his friends, still on an euphoric high from becoming a father. "Susan says she doesn't mind."

"Yeah, you know what, we could all stay here for some more time before we go home. Spend some time with little Benny, y'know? What do you guys say?" Joey asked the other four excitedly, making them wonder what was up with his sudden enthusiasm for babies. He hadn't told anyone about his experience with Lydia, at least not in detail.

"Dude, you're creeping me out," Chandler nodded at him, raising his eyebrows to emphasize his point.

"C'mon, it'd be fun!" Joey nodded back, looking even more excited. Chandler took an involuntary step back.

"Yeah, I guess I could stay here for a while." Rachel nodded distractedly, checking out the neonatal specialist who was coming out of the NICU. _Nice_. There were a million other fishes in the sea - Dr. Franzblau was just not worth it.

"And I could spread some happiness, y'know, sing a few songs for the babies." Phoebe jumped up and down enthusiastically.

_And make them deaf on their very first day on earth. _Chandler thought better of saying it out loud.

Joey patted her on the back encouragingly when she added, "I've been receiving a _lot_ of requests!"

People had actually been requesting her to _stop_, but oh well.

"Sorry, I am gonna have to take off, though," Chandler shrugged apologetically. "I have an early day at the office tomorrow." He hadn't been kidding when he'd told that to Monica. "Anyway, congratulations, man!" He hugged Ross briefly, patting his shoulder.

Who would have thought that Ross Geller with the really bad afro would be the first one to become a parent in their group? Granted, the afro was long gone by now, but he still wore too much of that gel.

He pulled back, smirking, shaking his head when Ross raised an eyebrow at him. "I'll see you guys tomorrow then," he smiled at the five and turned to leave, but stopped when he heard Monica call out for him.

"I'll come with you," she told him when he turned around, surprising everyone.

They'd all assumed that Monica would be staying at the hospital to spend more time with her nephew.

Now that Chandler thought about it, she was the one whom he'd have assumed would become a parent first. After all, she was the most maternal - no, she was the most _parental_ out of the six.

He knew she'd been a little emotional the whole day, but now, as he looked at her carefully, he could see an unmistakable sadness in her eyes.

The others did, too.

"Mon, is something wrong?" Ross asked his sister, concerned.

"No, no. Just feeling a little tired." She smiled as she hugged him. "Congratulations, Ross. I am really happy for you." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and drew back from his embrace to look at the other three. "Goodnight, guys."

"Goodnight," they chorused, waving as she walked past them all swiftly.

Chandler followed her out the hospital, trying to keep up with her pace. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down, Mon!"

She stopped abruptly and turned around, waiting for him to join her. "Sorry," she murmured as he caught up with her.

"Is everything all right?" he asked her, touching her arm lightly as they began walking again.

"Yeah. It's just…" she trailed off, but shook her head a moment later, "it's nothing. Do you want to take a cab?" she asked him, looking away.

"It's five blocks, Mon," he frowned. "Let's walk."

Being quiet was something that they both were not used to, especially when they were together, but he didn't press further. He knew she'd tell him sooner or later what was bothering her. They walked towards their building, slowly, without uttering another word.

"Wow, so this is what they call 'comfortable silence', huh?" he joked, hoping to break the rather uncomfortable silence as they climbed up the stairs.

"I'm sorry, Chandler," she shook her head. "I'm not feeling very... y'know?" she sighed, looking at him.

He _didn't _know. That was the problem to begin with, but he still nodded back understandingly.

She reached for the doorknob on the door to her apartment just as he took her hand in his. "Come to my place, Mon. It's just eight and I've got a bottle of wine. You know, we could get drunk together." He smiled at her.

She looked at him, contemplating his proposal. Something told her that he'd try to cheer her up. But she wanted to be left alone. Just for the night. She opened her mouth to say so. "Chandler, I really don't feel like-"

He cut her off, halfway. "Please?" He tugged her hand lightly.

As she looked back at him, she knew she could never deny him anything just as long as he looked at her like that - his eyes wide and pleading, his features creased into an expression of sincerity and hope. No, she could never deny him anything.

_Damn his pretty face._

"Okay," she agreed halfheartedly, allowing him to pull her into his apartment. He closed the door behind her as she sat on Joey's Barcalounger.

"I'll be back in a second, just need to change out of these," he motioned to his clothes before he headed into his bedroom. He came back a few minutes later, wearing a pair of boxers and a blue T-shirt that she knew he'd had since college.

He poured two glasses of wine and handed her one. He sat on his chair, keeping the bottle between them. They drank the wine in silence until he accidentally rattled the empty bottle on the floor.

He looked at her again as she slowly sipped at her wine, her face pale, her expression somber. Sadness from Monica always affected him in ways he could never explain. Sure, he'd feel bad if any of his other four friends were distressed, too, but Monica's had a more profound effect on him. He wondered why. Probably because she'd seldom expose her feelings outwardly, especially sadness.

"Mon, look at me," he ordered her, his voice soft.

She stared at the blank TV screen for a couple of seconds before she turned her head to look at him inquiringly.

"What's wrong?" he asked for the second time. He thought she'd deny him, saying that nothing was wrong, but she surprised him.

"How come I never get what I want?" she asked him back, just as softly.

So this was about her not having a baby. After all, that was the one thing that she had always wanted.

He was never comfortable around crying women. Although she wasn't crying at that moment, he could see tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. He didn't want to prod her further, but there was no way he could leave her sad and depressed.

"What is it that you want?" he asked her gently, knowing fully well what her answer would be. They were within touching distance. He reached out a hand and stroked her hair.

"A baby, just a baby," she murmured, leaning into his touch, discreetly wiping away the tears.

"I know you do, but Monica, you're just twenty six! I really don't think you need to worry about not having a baby now. I'll tell you what, you'll have the perfect husband and a perfect baby before you know it," he smiled at her, hoping that he'd succeeded in cheering her up, at least a little. She nodded, smiling a little, not looking convinced. "Okay, you know what, I am going to go out on a limb here and say, my offer still stands," he added, bringing the controversial subject to the forefront.

She looked at him sharply. Of all the things that he could have said, _that_ was not the best choice. That _offer _was what had actually brought her to this condition in the first place.

He retracted his hand and backed off visibly, his eyes revealing hurt. "What?" he asked her defensively, his insecurities flaring up. Was she implying that he was not good enough for her?

"So you still think that I won't be married when I am forty?" Her tone erased any levity that had been there when she'd asked him the same question at the hospital. She looked at him evenly.

His eyes narrowed, and he looked back at her, his gaze unwavering, which was a pretty impressive feat, considering the amount of alcohol that they'd both consumed.

They knew they were really drunk, and they knew any words that might come out of their mouths now would never be uttered if they were sober.

But that was the good thing about being drunk. It lowered your inhibitions, making it easier to express your feelings, especially when you're hurt.

"Why can't you see the point, Mon? Why do you read between the lines? All I said was _I _could have a baby with _you_! And all you heard was the word _forty._ Get your priorities straight, Monica," he hissed and got off the chair hotly, but stood still for a second to focus his uncoordinated eyes, and then went to the fridge to get some water.

For the first time in all the years that they'd known each other, he doubted whether their friendship was really as strong as they thought it was. He didn't want to hurt her, nor did he want to be hurt by her. It'd shocked him even the first time when he'd realized that she hadn't even given a second thought to the rest of his statement.

He looked at her from the fridge. She hadn't turned back to look at him. She just sat there, facing the TV, not showing even the slightest movement. He realized with an uneasy feeling that she was still hurting and his words had just added to it.

He wanted to reach out for her, but his limbs were reluctant to move from the spot. He should have left her alone when she'd said so.

"But I don't want to wait till I am forty, Chandler," he heard her say after a few seconds, her voice barely loud enough for him to hear. "Don't you think it's unfair that I have to wait for fourteen more years for something that I've wanted all through my life?"

He heard the tears before he saw them. He placed the water on the counter and moved towards her chair, kneeling down in front of her, his hands on either side of the chair. He raised a hand and wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Mon, please don't cry," he pleaded, cursing himself for ruining both their evenings.

"Until you said it, I didn't even consider it a possibility. Me being childless till I am forty, I mean," she told him, her voice quiet, wiping away her tears hastily.

She'd never been comfortable with people seeing her cry. Crying indicated a weakness in character, and she'd never reveal such a weakness to anyone, least of all, her friends. 'Crying' wouldn't fit the description of the 'strong' Monica that they all knew.

"Oh, God, I don't know what's the matter with me today. It's too soon for me to be PMSing," she sniffed, and then giggled when she saw the look on Chandler's face on hearing 'PMS'. Her face suddenly took on a serious expression. "Chandler, I am sorry if I've hurt you. What you offered me, it was the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me," she smiled softly. "I just failed to see it because I was too busy being a jerk." Fresh tears sprung to her eyes and she wiped them off again. "Oh, God…" she smiled at him, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for being a jerk, too." He took both her hands in his and held them in a gentle grip. "You have no reason to doubt your future, you know? You're amazing, smart, beautiful. I mean, who wouldn't want you?" He took her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Just wait and see, before you know it, I'll be dancing at your wedding. Although I have to warn you - people, for some unfathomable reason, run for their lives when I dance," he told her with a serious face.

She chuckled.

"So we're okay?" he asked her gently, smiling back.

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah, we're okay."

They sat still for a few seconds, until she withdrew her hands from his and lifted them to play with his shirt collar, their eyes still locked.

Something about the moment unnerved him. Trying to ignore it, he rose from his knees. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead, his torso half bent as her hands were still lightly gripping his collar.

She looked up at him like she just realized something. She whispered a moment later. "You know, on second thought, _your _blue eyes are all I'd want for my baby."

He kissed her the next instant. He felt his heart squeeze itself and then slowly release the pressure when he realized she was kissing him back. Their arms winding around each other, she rose from the Barcalounger, her long fingers tangling in his hair.

A small lucid part in the corner of the brain told him to stop before this went any further. But he brushed it aside.

How could he stop when this felt _so_ right?

She pulled him closer and parted her lips. As he met her tongue, tasting the wine on her lips, he realized that lowered inhibitions meant so much more than just 'easier expression of feelings'.

Her warm fingers began to glid along his torso as she dragged his shirt up, and he didn't realize much else for the rest of the night.

~.~.~

_A/N: Okay, I figured I'll continue the "**present**" part in the next chapter, since adding that, too, would only result in a chapter that would be too long for my taste :)_


	3. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thank_s_ for the awesome reviews! You've no idea how much I appreciate them :) And yeah, I've never read a fic with a C&M hook-up just after Ben's birth, either. I've always wondered why people didn't do this often. Personally, I consider it to be the best time they could have gotten together, you know, no Kathy, Richard or Pete and just a very little dose of Janice..._

_Okay, so now, this is the second chapter. Before you read it, I need to make this clear: Monica **did not **date "Young Ethan" (or anyone else) according to this story. At least, she didn't date him any time near Ben's birth (not in less than 3 months, to be on the safe side), because that just messes up my system. _

_Just as long as we're clear on that, on with the story! _

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 2**

**Present**

She remembered his kisses. She remembered his touch. And she detested herself as she thought how much she had enjoyed them. He was her best friend, and now, they'd ruined everything in one stupid night, with one stupid mistake.

But it hadn't felt like a mistake when they'd made love, when he'd held her. It'd felt right. Disturbingly so. This brought tears to her eyes.

It was a mistake, and whether or not it'd felt right was inconsequential.

He was sitting still with his hands covering his face, his distress eminent from his demeanor. He suddenly lifted his face to look at her.

Tears still streaming down her face, her face red from crying, his arms ached to hold her close to him and comfort her, but he sat unmoving.

After a few seconds, he couldn't take it anymore. "Was I _that_ bad?" he asked her slowly.

She looked up at him, surprised that he'd even said something. "What?"

"You've been crying for like the past fifteen minutes. Was I really that bad in bed?" he asked her again.

If the same question had come from any other man, she'd have thought that the guy was joking, but from Chandler, it came out as a genuinely curious question. She wanted to laugh out loud. _On the contrary._

"No, not really." She shook her head, wiping away the tears that still kept falling.

"Then why are you crying?" he asked her softly, looking like he himself was on the verge of tears.

He knew exactly why she was crying.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Chandler, for how long have we been friends?"

He looked at her quizzically, not realizing the significance of the question. "Counting the day you cut my toe off, it's been six years." He smiled lightly, remembering that particular day.

"Six years, Chandler. We've risked six years of friendship for one drunken night. That's why I am crying." She wiped her cheeks again. "This friendship," she motioned between them, "means the world to me. I don't know if I've ever told you that in these six years. If I haven't, it just means that I am not good at expressing myself. I can't imagine my life without you, Chandler; without _us_." It was her deepest fear, and she hoped she'd effectively conveyed it to him. She didn't bother to brush her tears away this time as she met his eyes.

He was never good with words when he had to voice them. But now, he couldn't voice them as emotions choked him up.

Not knowing how to show her that her words had affected him so profoundly, he moved forward and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her hair softly. "Ditto, Mon. Ditto," he whispered into her hair. "I have no idea what I'll do without you, either," he sighed, stroking her arm gently. "But you know what, it won't come to that." He drew back to look at her with sudden conviction. "This was a stupid, one-time, drunken mistake, and I'll not let it ruin our friendship. _We _should not let it ruin our friendship." He looked at her, his eyes pleading. "So please don't let it, Monica." His voice low and unsure, it caught in his throat.

He wanted her to brush this night aside, act like nothing had happened. And he was right. What they had meant a lot more than one night of drunken sex.

She nodded. "It was a mistake," she repeated his statement and watched him as he too nodded.

They sat in perfect silence as they contemplated their next move. After few seconds, he broke it. "You know, whenever one of my colleagues says that he'd gotten _so _hammered that he hadn't even remembered whom he'd slept with, I always used to think, 'How could anyone possibly get _that_ drunk?'. Now, I know exactly what they mean. Trust me, I am never going near alcohol again." He shook his head, chuckling.

She felt the smile forming on her lips and turned to look at him. But as she looked at his own smiling lips, her mind flashed with a vivid recollection of how they'd felt on her skin. She turned away, just as abruptly, a flush creeping up her face. This 'pretending like nothing happened' thing was going to be a lot harder than she'd thought.

At that instant, he knew whether or not they liked it, this night had changed their friendship irrevocably.

"Maybe I should leave," she said slowly, venturing a look at his face again.

He nodded. "Let me just go check whether Joey's in." He clutched the sheets tightly around his waist, leaned across the bed and fetched his boxers from the floor. With some maneuvers under the sheets, he had his boxers on. He got off the bed and picked up his T-shirt from the floor and pulled it on on himself and reached the door. He stopped and turned back to look at her. "You should probably, um…" he finished his sentence by motioning to her clothes on the floor. She nodded as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

She dressed slowly, recovering her bra from its precarious position on the night stand and her panties from underneath the sheets. As she buttoned up her dress, she realized two buttons were missing. The sex sure had been passionate.

She sat on the bed, trying to collect herself physically and emotionally, waiting for him to come back.

He came in a few minutes later, after knocking the door twice, looking tired and spent. "Joey's asleep," he said in a low voice, as if Joey would hear him if he spoke louder.

"Okay." She got off the bed, and brushed past him as she left his room and entered the living room. When she neared the door to his apartment, he called out for her.

"Mon, Mon, wait." He went to the counter and searched a drawer containing hundreds of keys. He pulled out one and handed it to her. "It's the spare key to your apartment. You might need it. Rachel may have locked the door."

"Thanks," she murmured, meeting his eyes before she turned to leave again.

"Mon..."

She turned around to look at him.

"I am sorry," he whispered, not quite understanding for what he was apologizing.

But she seemed to understand. She looked at him for a long second before she whispered back, "I know." Her eyes glassy from unshed tears, she looked into his eyes one last time before she left his apartment, closing the door behind her.

~.~

He had been right. Rachel had locked their apartment, probably thinking that she was already asleep in her room.

Monica closed the door gently behind her so as to not wake Rachel up, and locked it again. Making sure that her footsteps weren't making too loud a noise, she slowly went into her bedroom, closed the door and crawled into her bed.

She pulled the sheets closer to her, covering herself up to her chin, seeking solace in its warmth.

She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the random words and memories of the night that kept flashing in her mind. She hoped the sinking ship hadn't signified her friendship with Chandler.

She fell into a fitful sleep, oblivious to the life growing in her womb.

_Your blue eyes are all I'd want for my baby._

You know what they say, be careful what you wish for.

~.~.~

_A/N: A-woo-hoo! You won't believe how much I enjoyed writing this. Reading and writing Mondler romance and Mondler angst give you unrivaled pleasure :)_


	4. Chapter 3

_A/N: Man, oh man, did you see all those reviews? You guys rock! Thank you for letting me know that you like the story. It made my day :)_

Disclaimer: I still don't know the purpose of this thing. It's not like anyone's gonna believe me if I said that I do own them!

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 3**

**24 Days later**

Work at the office was becoming hectic. Probably because he'd volunteered doing the additional work.

It'd been more than twenty days since what Chandler referred to in his mind as 'The Night'. The words were designated with uppercase first letters in his brain.

Things between him and Monica were nowhere near normal. The seconds and minutes which used to be filled with happy banters, were now filled with awkward and painful silences. They both went out of their way to avoid each other.

_So much for pretending like nothing had happened._

He came home late at nights, and she left home early in the mornings. The time he spent hanging out at apartment 20 seemed to be ever dwindling. The last time they accidentally bumped into each other was the previous evening, at Central Perk. The moment he'd entered the coffeehouse, she'd changed her order as 'to go'. As she'd passed him, she'd given him a slight nod of acknowledgement and a cursory smile – the kind you give an acquaintance whom you resent.

He looked down at the paperwork that he was supposed to complete by the end of the day. He went over it absentmindedly, his thoughts still lingering on his strained relationship with Monica.

She'd made it clear to him through their sporadic exchange of words in the past three weeks that she did not wish to talk about what had happened.

But now, he didn't care whether she wished for it or not. That night had placed immense strain on their friendship, and if they didn't talk their problems through, it might as well be the end of their six-year long friendship.

He missed her as a friend. He missed her like he'd never missed anyone before.

He would to talk to her that evening and sort things out, whether or not she wanted to talk about it.

~.~

Monica sat with her elbows on the kitchen table, her forehead resting on her palm as she waited for the kitchen timer to go off.

Her period was a week overdue. She'd never once been late by even a day in her entire life. Not once.

_Five Minutes to go._

She'd dreamed about this moment one too many times in the past four-five years, but never once had she imagined it'd be this way.

In her dreams, she always had a huge smile on her face as she waited for the stipulated five minutes to get over, anticipation evident on her features. Her gorgeous husband would hold her hand, looking equally giddy with expectation. After five minutes, they'd go and see the pregnancy test, hand-in-hand. On seeing the small, pink plus, they'd hug and kiss, unable to hide their ecstasy, and he'd tell her that he loved her, his voice filled with emotions.

As she lifted her eyes to look at the timer, her dreams collapsed, giving way to reality.

_Two more minutes._

There was no husband to hold her hand, nor did she have a huge smile on her face.

She didn't even want to think about what would happen if the tests - yes, she'd bought three, just to be on the safe side - were positive.

She'd always wanted a baby, but never once had the possibility that she could be unmarried or be a single mother, entered her mind.

_Don't think about it._

But what if it _was_ positive? What would happen if she _was _pregnant? Would Chandler ask her to get rid of the baby?

She crossed her arms protectively across her stomach and closed her eyes. An image of Chandler's gentle face flitted across her closed eyelids. She knew at that instant that he'd never ask such a thing of her.

The alarm went off.

_Time to face reality._

She slowly made her way to the bathroom, her limbs moving reluctantly.

The three sticks, perfectly aligned with each other on the closed toilet lid, showed the same sign.

Three pretty pink pluses, staring right back at her.

She had to talk to Chandler.

~.~

Chandler climbed up the stairs of his building slowly. He'd left work early under the pretense of 'feeling like coming down with a fever'. Although he wasn't coming down with anything, he sure didn't feel completely all right. He was trying to decide what he should say to Monica as he slowly neared her apartment.

The doorknob squeaked in protest as he turned it. He was met by a gloomy silence that unsettled him, causing his resolve to slightly waver. He brushed the feeling aside and squared his shoulders.

The apartment seemed to be empty at first, but as he entered the living room, he found Monica asleep on the couch, curled up in the fetal position. He knelt down beside her and looked at her closely.

She looked pale and her eyebrows quirked suddenly, like she was having a bad dream.

Not having the heart to wake her up, he softly kissed her on the forehead and rose to leave. Just ss he was about to open the door to let himself out, he heard her call out for him.

"Chandler?"

He turned around, his heart picking up pace. "Hey, Mon."

"What are you doing here so early?" she asked him, her face showing confusion and preoccupation. She got off the couch and entered the kitchen, her fingers tightly clutching the back of the couch. She needed all the strength she could muster for this.

He ran his fingers through his hair nervously and came forward a few steps so that he was near the other end of the couch. "Actually, I came to talk to you," he said softly.

"Oh."

"I hate what's going on between us, Monica. You agreed with me on that night that it was a mistake, so why are you doing this? Why are you avoiding me? If I could erase that night off our lives, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But I can't. We need to get past this, Mon." He took a step towards her, and added softly, his eyes betraying his emotions. "I miss you." It was barely a whisper, but she heard him clearly.

"I miss you, too," she whispered back.

"Then let's put this behind us and carry on with our lives, with our friendship. You mean too much to me to lose you over one night of drunken stupidity. Please, Mon?" One step closer. He ended his sentence as a question, his voice pleading.

She took a deep breath and gave him an answer that he'd never have expected in a thousand years. "Chandler, I am pregnant."

He took a step back involuntarily.

He wasn't surprised altogether, but it still hit him like a million bricks. He wasn't surprised because, the moment she left his apartment that night, he'd searched his bedroom thoroughly, hoping to find a used condom or at least a foil condom wrapper, but had found nothing. He hadn't mentioned it to her, not wanting to freak her out. Later, he'd convinced himself that it was nothing to worry about, so as to not freak _himself_ out. And now, he felt like an idiot for not mentioning it to her.

But, God, it still hit him like a million bricks.

He stood still for fifteen seconds, his eyes wide with shock.

She waited for him to say something, but he remained silent. The usually verbose man was now rendered speechless. She couldn't take it any longer. "Chandler, please say something," she said, her own voice taking on a pleading tone.

He forced himself back into reality and met her eyes. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Three positive pregnancy tests."

"Oh, my God," he murmured to himself, shaking his head. He didn't often dream about his future, but this sure was a surprise.

"And I am keeping the baby," she added for good measure, realizing a second too late that the statement held an implicit meaning.

He looked at her sharply, his cheeks flushing red with what she presumed to be anger. "Did you ever think I'll ask you get rid of the baby?" he asked her, his voice hitching almost imperceptibly at the word 'baby'.

She considered lying, but he could always see right through her. She nodded. "Yes, it briefly crossed my mind."

Hurt flashed across his features. "I may be a moron for sleeping with one of my best friends, Monica, but I am not a jerk."

"I realized that a second later, too," she said softly, tears stinging at the back of her eyes. "I am sorry, Chandler. I have no idea what I am going do with this now. All these years... in all these years, I never thought it would come down to this. What are we going to do?" she asked him, scared of what his answer might be.

"Marry me," he said simply.

"What?" She wondered whether he was playing a cruel joke on her, but one look at his face, she knew he was as serious as can be.

"Marry me, Mon. You mean the world to me," he said softly, his eyes filled with earnestness and affection.

"Chandler, that's-" she began to protest, but he cut her off.

"No, it's not ridiculous. It's the best thing I've ever thought of in my entire life. I love you, Monica. Even if it's only just as a friend, I've never loved anyone as much as I love you. And now, we're going to have a baby together. It's a sign, Mon. Marry me." He'd crossed the distance between them and was standing right in front of her.

She noticed that the look on his face was something she'd never seen before - hope, sincerity, and love, all combined in one. She marveled at her own ability to refuse him. "I love you just as much, Chandler." She raised her fingers to brush his cheek. "But that's not the kind of love you look for when you're going into a marriage, you know?" she finished softly, tears beginning to spill from her eyes.

Life was just plain cruel.

She thought he'd protest, but instead, he nodded and pulled her into his arms. "I know," he whispered against her hair, allowing her to cry on his shoulder, feeling her warm tears permeate his shirt and spread across his skin.

He kissed the side of her head. "Do you remember how I said we could have a baby together when we're forty?"

She nodded without lifting her head from his shoulder.

"Yeah, I think we're going to have one some fifteen years sooner." He stroked her arm gently.

She lifted her head from his shoulder to look into his eyes. "I am scared, Chandler."

He kissed her forehead. "I couldn't be more terrified, Mon. But you know, we managed through the conception pretty well." He chuckled as she smiled back through her tears. "I think we'll get through the pregnancy and the birth parts, too, just as fine." Even as he said it, he couldn't help but hear the nagging voice in his mind say that this was too huge a commitment at the age of twenty seven. He tightened his arms around her and tried to ignore it.

"I hope so." She returned her head to his shoulder.

They stood in silence for a several moments, their arms still around each other, until he spoke again.

"You know I'll always be there for you, right?" he whispered, holding her tightly to his chest.

A paroxysm of emotions overwhelming her, she nodded against his shoulder. "I know," she whispered back. "I know."

~.~.~

_A/N: I've read fics in which Chandler first freaks out and then comes to his senses. I just thought this would be a change. I love Mondler mushiness and I hope you fellow Mondler fans out there, liked this. So four chapters of just Mondler interaction, I guess I'll have to bring in the other characters soon... _


	5. Chapter 4

_A/N: Okay, I am going to take a moment here to thank you guys._

** sammie-jayne, JennLoveMondler, Lainel & IsabelleBing:**_ I was nervous about making Chandler not do his usual 'freak-out' thing elaborately, and I am really glad you liked my approach._

**dancer cherrybug & gAnGsTa GaBbY lOvEs JoKeR: **_Thank you for your constant encouragement, I really appreciate it :)_

** Veridissima: **_Glad you liked the previous chapter! I am gonna cover the gang's reaction in the next chapter (hopefully), but I really hope you'll like this!_

**lizard:**_ Thank you for reviewing! Your review made me blush ;)_

_Never once have I received 8 reviews for one chapter before! I appreciate each and every one of them :)_

_Now, my knowledge of pregnancy and its associated tests and scans is rather limited. Although I've looked up the necessary info on the internet, if you still do find any glaring errors (from this chapter on), please do let me know. _

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 4**

Chandler looked at Joey, who was gulping down his beer, watching 'Baywatch'. There was nothing that could tear Joey's eyes away from the screen when Yasmeen or Nicole (or any other woman, for that matter), was on it. He used to be like that, too, until this evening happened; until he'd learned he was going to have a baby.

He wanted Yasmeen Bleeth to entrance him into the glamorous world of Lifeguards and slow-motion running, like she always did, but he knew it wasn't going to happen tonight and possibly never during any other night in the next nine months.

Monica had gone down to the clinic that evening to get a blood test done to find out whether she really was pregnant. But he didn't have any doubts in his mind. Three positive pregnancy tests just don't lie. He wondered why she couldn't see it. Besides, given his luck in life, he'd be happy if it weren't twins.

"Chandler, are you all right?" Chandler heard Joey's voice, pulling him back into reality. Joey was looking at him curiously.

"Yeah, yeah, I am. Why?" he asked him back, wondering whether his feelings were so transparent.

"Nothing. It's just that you've been staring into the space for like fifteen minutes, not even looking at the TV when Summer was _running._ Are you really okay?" Joey asked again, concern lining his face.

Joey's intuitive abilities never failed to surprise Chandler. As dull as he could be, Joey could always sense when something was wrong with the person next to him.

Chandler was tempted to tell him that he was not 'all right' and it was because he was going to become a father in nine months, and there were no universities in NYC that offered a crash course on 'How to be a Dad'. But he kept his mouth shut. He didn't think Monica would appreciate it if he told Joey what the problem was, much like how he wouldn't appreciate her telling Rachel about it.

"It's nothing, Joe. It's just... I have loads of work in the office tomorrow," he shrugged.

Joey seemed to understand. "Oh," he nodded and turned to the TV again.

His work was always a safe bet when he wanted to be left alone. He didn't care about it, nor did his friends.

"Hey, do we have any juice?" he asked Joey a moment later, knowing fully well that they never had anything besides expired milk in their fridge. He just needed an excuse to go over to Monica's apartment. He wanted to know how it'd gone at the doctor's clinic. When he'd offered to accompany her, she'd refused, saying that it might invoke suspicion on the part of their friends, if they left together.

Joey looked at him like he was crazy. "Dude, when have we ever had _juice_ at _our_ place?"

"I feel like having some. I am gonna go across the hall to see whether the girls have any. 'Kay?"

"Okay." Joey turned back to face the TV, but just as he was about to open the door, Joey called out for him. "Oh, and Chandler, while you're at it, you may also wanna ask Mon whether she'd saved some of the lasagna."

Chandler made a non-committal sound and left his apartment. He didn't care about the lasagna.

He entered the girls' apartment to find both Monica and Rachel at the kitchen table. He'd hoped to find Monica alone. He tried to mask his disappointment. "Hey."

While Rachel smiled back, Monica just nodded, the look on her face revealing that she wished to speak with him alone, too.

"Do you guys have any juice?" he continued with his act, owing to Rachel's presence.

"Help yourself," Rachel pointed to the fridge.

He poured some orange juice onto a glass and took it with him as he sat down at the table, adjacent to Monica. "So, what were you guys talking about?" he asked conversationally as he took a sip of his juice.

"Well, I was just telling Monica the she has to go see a doctor about her "stomach flu"." Rachel made air quotes. "Every morning I wake up to the sound of her throwing up," she finished worriedly, looking at Monica. "Really, _every single morning._"

Chandler choked on his orange juice, the sharp tang of it rising up to his says you can't taste with your nose?

Morning sickness...?_  
><em>

He was not an expert on pregnancy, but there were a few things that he knew from innumerable movies and soap operas.

_So she knew it even before today?_

Once his coughing subsided, he assured the girls saying that he was okay. He then asked Monica slowly, "Since when have you been throwing up?"

"Four, five days…" She avoided his eyes as she said it.

"Mon, please promise me you're going to see a doctor about this." A very concerned looking Rachel requested Monica.

"Yes, Rach. As soon as possible," Monica nodded.

"'Not as soon as possible'. Tomorrow." Rachel looked at her pointedly.

Monica nodded again resignedly. "Okay." There was no use in arguing with Rachel.

Rachel got off her chair. "All right, people, I have an early day tomorrow. Lots of coffee to pour! I am off to sleep. Goodnight, guys!" her voice dripping with fake enthusiasm, as she left for her room

"Goodnight," they echoed, watching her walk away.

He waited until Rachel's bedroom door closed, and then turned to look at Monica. "What did they say at the doctor's?"

"They're gonna do something called quantitative HCG test. We'd get the results tomorrow," she spoke in a low voice so that Rachel wouldn't hear them. "I have my fingers crossed," she added, showing him her crossed fingers.

"So you still think that there is a chance that you might _not_ be pregnant?" he asked her slowly.

"Yes, I do," she nodded.

He looked at her long and hard before he spoke again. "We've got three positive pregnancy tests. You've been throwing up for nearly a week now. Why can't you get your head around the fact that you _are_ pregnant?"

She took a second to answer his question. "Chandler, even if there is a one percent chance that I am _not_ pregnant, I am going to hold on tight to it."

He knew the concept of denial really well. It was his area of expertise, and he could easily detect it when he saw it.

"What's with the wishful thinking, Monica? Why are you refusing to accept something that's _so_ obvious?" Before she could answer, he felt something else stirring in him. "Is it because _I'll_ be your child's father?" He could feel the color rising in his cheeks, his heart pumping faster.

"Look, Chandler, that's not-" she started, but he cut her off.

"You know what, when you do finally realize that you _are _pregnant, and it is _my _baby that you're carrying, give me a call." With that, he got off his chair, and slammed the door as he left through it.

She closed her eyes tightly, flinching as the door banged shut, feeling physically and emotionally drained.

~.~

Joey turned around in his chair when Chandler opened the door. "Hey, did you ask her about the lasagna?"

"No, she hasn't saved any," he hissed, walking past Joey to his room and slamming the door shut, causing Joey to jump in his chair.

He was already having doubts about where this was headed, and he really didn't need Monica doubting his parenting skills as well. Although she didn't say it out loud, he knew that that's what she'd meant.

Why did he have to sleep with her? Why should she have gotten pregnant? Things like these were supposed to happen to people in movies and in books, to people that he didn't know. Not to him.

He collapsed on his bed and threw the covers over himself.

The last thought on his mind before he fell asleep was, what will remain of their friendship by the end of these nine months.

~.~

"Honey, you're not okay. Go home. Now." Paula literally pushed Monica out of the Iridium kitchen the next evening.

"Paula, I am fine. I really am," she protested feebly, knowing fully well that she wasn't.

When Paula insisted the fifth time, she didn't protest.

She reached home, completely exhausted. She no longer doubted that she was pregnant. This baby was already sapping her energy away.

She hit the play button on her answering machine, which was blinking with new messages, and sat down on the couch, her fingers rising to massage her throbbing temples.

There were two messages. The first one was from Ross. "Mon, it's me. I don't think I'll be able to make it to dinner tonight. One of the displays here has collapsed, and it's going to be a _long _night. Could you save me some food? I'll call you later. Bye."

The machine beeped and went on to play the next message: "Miss. Geller, this is Dr. Nelson. Your blood test results are positive for pregnancy. You're about four weeks pregnant. Call me for an appointment."

Well, that was no surprise.

Chandler hadn't come for breakfast that morning and Joey had said he'd left early for work. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to explain to him how she felt, how he'd misunderstood her, and how much she needed him for her to get through the following nine months.

She glanced at the clock. He wouldn't be home for at least two more hours.

Usually when she felt _this _restless, she'd clean. But the tiredness overtook any urge to clean. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to succumb to the fatigue by falling asleep on the couch.

~.~

Chandler entered his apartment at around six and found it to be empty. Joey had told him something about an audition, but he hadn't been listening.

He felt guilty about the way he'd acted towards Monica the previous night. If she was reluctant to realize the fact that she was carrying his child, he couldn't really blame her. He wasn't exactly a great father figure, nor did he have the perfect role models while he was growing up.

She was already going through a lot, and she didn't need him to lay a guilt trip on her.

He knew he had to apologize to her.

He placed his briefcase on the foosball table and opened the door, only to find Monica standing at the other side.

"Hey," she smiled at him tentatively. "Can I come in?"

He moved aside, stuttering, "Oh, yes, yea-sure," still from the surprise that she'd come to see him. He closed the door behind her, and moved past her to stand on the other side of the kitchen counter.

"Mon, about yesterday-"

"The blood test results-"

They started at the same time. He stopped his sentence midway. "Yours sounds like a more important news." He motioned for her to continue.

"The blood test results are positive for pregnancy," she told him, looking at his face closely for his reaction. The only thing that she noticed was, he didn't look surprised.

"Well, that, that's-" he floundered, not knowing what to say.

"That's what you expected," she finished the sentence for him.

He nodded.

"Chandler, I am sorry about yesterday," she said softly.

"No, Mon, _I am _sorry for-"

"Can I talk first?" she interrupted. He nodded, taking her hand in his.

"Chandler, it's not that I don't want _you _to be the father of my baby. It's just..." she trailed off. "It's just that I am not ready to have _anyone's_ baby. But there's nothing we can do about that now, is there?" she smiled at him slowly. "Anyway, I am really sorry if you mistook it to mean something else."

He smiled back. "Even if you _did_ mean something else, I can't really blame you, you know. I don't exactly come off as an excellent 'father material'." He looked down, his thumb flicking across her knuckles.

She looked at him, slightly shocked. Never once had _that _thought crossed her mind.

Sure, he was goofy, sarcastic and immature, but he had a kindness about him that she always thought would make him an excellent father. Now, she saw the insecure side of him, which he revealed very rarely without the mask of humour that accompanied it as a defense mechanism.

She placed her other hand over his, holding his hand securely between hers as he looked up at her again. "Chandler, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Being a father is a natural instinct, like how a child learns to take its first steps. You'll learn it with relative ease once you get the hang of it. I for one think you're going to be an _amazing_ dad." She smiled at him gently.

He smiled back, pulling her into his arms. "Thanks, Mon. That means a lot to me," he murmured against her hair.

She hugged him back tightly, glad that things were okay between them. She suddenly leaned back in his embrace to look into his eyes. "There's no one else I'd rather be going through this with than you," she said, earnestness etched on her face.

He smiled down at her, his fingers rising to tug on her ear playfully. "Me, too, Mon," he whispered back. "Me, too."

She stood on her toes to kiss him on the cheek, and drew herself out of his embrace. "I'll see you at dinner tonight?"

"Yeah," he smiled as he nodded.

She grinned back at him and turned around to leave his apartment, just as he turned to enter his bedroom. She stopped in her tracks abruptly, and called out for him. "Oh, and Chandler?"

He looked back.

"Your blue eyes are _really _all I'd want for my baby," she said softly, recalling what she'd told him on that fateful night. Her eyes lingering on his face for a couple of seconds, she turned back and left through the door, the door closing behind her with a gentle thud.

He turned again to enter his room, the smile on his face uncontainable.

Maybe, having a baby with your best friend wasn't such a bad thing, after all.

~.~.~

_A/N: I realize not much happened in this chapter, but you know, Chandler wouldn't be Chandler without a little freaking out :)_


	6. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thank you guys for the great reviews and all the subscriptions! I am so happy you guys are liking this story. With all the Randler fics that I've seen on the site lately, something propelled me write this. Now that I know people are enjoying it, I am glad I did._

_Anyway, this chapter takes place a couple of days after the last one._

Disclaimer: I don't own Friends.

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 5**

She leaned over the toilet and threw up her entire breakfast.

The nausea rose from deep within her gut, traveling up to her throat. She drew her head back from the toilet bowl, but one look at all the floating bits and pieces of the half-digested food, the urge to vomit returned, making her bend down towards the bowl once again. She stood back slowly, this time making sure that she didn't glance down. The taste of the regurgitated food remained on her tongue, making her cringe. Her breathing gradually returning to normal, she heard the knock on the bathroom door.

"Monica, are you all right in there? Open the door," Rachel ordered as she knocked. "Mon, you're scaring me, open the door now."

"In a minute," Monica yelled back hoarsely, as loud as her sore throat allowed. She brushed her teeth vigorously, and rinsed her mouth with Listerine. Looking at the mirror, she wondered where the dark circles under her eyes have come from. Not wanting to dwell on her appearance at this moment, she looked away from the mirror and opened the door, revealing a very concerned looking Rachel.

"Do you have a fever or something, honey?" Rachel felt her forehead and shook her head. "No, you don't. Did you consult a doctor?"

She had her OB/GYN appointment that day, but Rachel didn't need to know that. "I have an appointment today, Rach," she nodded as she walked towards the kitchen, averting her eyes from the food that was on the table.

Now she exactly knew what Chandler meant when he said that it's difficult to enjoy food when you've seen it in reverse.

"Really?" Rachel asked her skeptically. "Mon, this is serious. You've been throwing up for like a week now. Do you really have an appointment or are you just trying to get out of this conversation?"

"Really, Rach. It's at 3 this afternoon," Monica replied, wishing that she could just tell Rachel what was really going on. _  
><em>

They would have to tell them all soon, though...

"Okay. That's good," Rachel nodded, looking relieved. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No," Monica shook her head a little too hurriedly. "That's all right. I'll leave from work directly," she added. Chandler had said that he'd be waiting at the hospital for her before three.

"You sure?" Rachel asked her, looking dubious.

"Yes. And Rachel, please don't worry about this. We'll know pretty soon what's wrong," she said, getting a water bottle from the fridge.

"We will?" Rachel questioned again, suspecting that this conversation held a lot more significance than it was letting on.

"Yeah," she said with a slight smile as she left to go to her room, leaving Rachel to stare at her back, puzzled.

~.~

At three that afternoon, Chandler and Monica sat together at the waiting room, letting the reality sink in.

She was truly pregnant. They were going to have a baby in nine months.

She looked around the room, which was filled with expecting mothers. Some were with their husbands – she'd deduced that from the wedding bands, and some with whom she presumed to be their boyfriends, and some were alone.

She was truly grateful that she wasn't doing this alone. She didn't know whether Chandler realized just how much she appreciated the fact that he'd taken the news of the pregnancy so well.

But as much as she appreciated it, she wasn't sure that she'd be able to take his constant leg jerking for even a minute more.

His left leg was jerking rhythmically against her right at a rapid pace. She knew from his demeanor that he was nervous, but it still got on her nerves. She placed a firm hand on his thigh, hoping he'd take the hint and stop.

Instead, his head snapped round to look at her. "What? What? Is some thing wrong? Are you okay? Is everything all right?" He looked at her, startled, panic evident on his face.

She controlled the urge to laugh at his nervousness. He could be just so adorable sometimes. "I am fine, Chandler. A little high-strung, are we?" she smiled at him.

He smiled back, looking down at her hand on his thigh, finally realizing what she'd wanted. "Sorry." His leg came slowly to a still.

She nodded and removed her hand off his leg. It lasted for about twenty seconds before his right leg stated jerking at the same pace. She rolled her eyes, sighing exasperatedly, wishing that the receptionist would call her name soon.

Her wish was granted.

They both got and followed a nurse, who recorded Monica's height and weight. The nurse then led them to an examining room, asking them to wait there, saying that the doctor would be with them soon.

Monica got up on the examining table, while Chandler stood beside it, an awkward silence filling the room.

"Wanna hear something funny?" he turned to look at her finally. "I have a condom in my wallet that I've had since I was twelve. If we'd used _that _the other night, we wouldn't be here," he chuckled nervously.

She smiled at his effort to lighten up the mood, but suddenly remembered his mother's appearance on 'The Tonight show'. "The condom that your mom bought you?" she giggled.

"Yeah, it was my birthday present." He made a disgusted face, making her laugh, both of them sensing the awkwardness slowly dissipate.

"I don't think we were sober enough to think of it that night. Besides, I really don't think a _twenty-year-old_ condom would've worked, anyway." She shook her head, looking at him.

"Hey, it's just fifteen years old!" he exclaimed. She just looked at him. "Yeah, I see your point," he added quietly, nodding. "Maybe we could try it the next time," he grinned at her, jiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"The next time?!" she looked at him incredulously.

Hadn't they learned enough from the one time?

He was saved from the death glare that was directed at him since Dr. Nelson entered the room at that precise moment.

"Hello, I am Rebecca Nelson. Sorry I am running a little late today." The doctor smiled at them both. "Monica and Chandler, right?"

"Right," Monica nodded, smiling back.

"It's nice to meet you both. Now, let's talk for a bit. I would like to go through your medical history first. Can you tell me the first date of your last period?" Dr. Nelson asked as she picked up the 'date wheel' from her desk, poised to spin it.

"May fourteenth," Monica replied. If asked, she'd even be able to tell the precise date of conception.

The doctor spun the wheel and squinted at it. "Your estimated due date is February eighteenth," she smiled warmly at the parents-to-be as she looked up from the wheel. The couple smiled back hesitantly.

_February Eighteenth. _That meant just eight more months. Not nine.

The doctor then launched into a series of questions directed at Monica. She patiently explained to Monica that the nausea and fatigue were just signs that her body was coping up with the pregnancy.

"You're already a month pregnant. It'll stop at around the twelfth week. Meanwhile, eat a healthy diet. You could also try sucking on hard candies. Many expecting mothers find that helpful," the doctor explained to her, as gently as a mother would explain to a daughter.

This reminded Monica of her own mother. Her constantly belittling, Ross-favoring mother. She had no idea how her mother would react to the news. She avoided her as much as possible, but this was not something that you could hide easily. All that she knew was, her parents sure wouldn't be pleased that their twenty-six year old daughter had managed to get pregnant, and was having a baby out of wedlock. Added to that, they already hated Chandler for some unknown reason.

Breaking the news to her parents was definitely not something she was looking forward to.

She glanced at Chandler, who had been unusually quiet ever since the doctor's arrival. He was staring intently at the date wheel. She assumed that he was probably thinking about the 'February Eighteenth' part. He looked visibly pale. She couldn't really blame him, either. At least she had always wanted a baby, but Chandler, on the other hand, was not a big fan of commitment. Of any kind. He'd have never even considered the possibility that he'd have a baby in his twenties, let alone from a one-night stand.

She truly did feel sorry for him.

Sensing her gaze on him, he turned his head towards her and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

She smiled back, a small part of her heavy cloud of doubt, drifting away. She turned to the doctor who was now saying something about a physical examination.

"Change into this." Dr. Nelson handed her a dressing gown. "I'll be back in a few," she said before she left, leaving the couple to stare at each other awkwardly.

"I'll just wait outside." Chandler pointed at the door uncomfortably and left the room, leaving Monica alone for the physical examination.

The doctor took her blood pressure, examined her lungs, heart, breast, and then her cervix. "It's just to determine the shape and size of your pelvis," the doctor assured Monica, who nodded her understanding.

Once the physical examination got over and Monica had changed back into her clothes, Chandler came back in.

Dr. Nelson wrote a prescription for prenatal vitamins and handed it to Monica. "Congratulations to you two. I'll see you in another eight weeks for your first trimester ultrasound," she smiled at them both as she shook their hands.

Chandler and Monica left the hospital and headed towards their building, trying desperately hard to distinguish the feeling of hesitancy towards the situation from the feeling of excitement towards the same.

~.~

They climbed up the stairs of their building slowly. A word had not been uttered since the moment they'd left the hospital.

She realized with a pang that they'd have to tell their friends what was happening. She stopped abruptly on the steps and looked at Chandler. "Chandler, we have to tell the others."

He looked at her, his nervous demeanor returning. "Do we have to tell them, like, _now_?"

"I guess. I mean, I don't think they'll be very thrilled if we tell them _after_ the baby is born," she told him sarcastically.

He looked unamused. "You know what I mean."

She sighed. "I know… It's just, Rachel is already beginning to suspect that something is going on. I just think they'll be more supportive if we tell them now."

He looked at her for a long moment, making up his mind. He nodded. "Okay, you're right. I'll tell Joey, you tell the other three." He started climbing the stairs again.

She caught hold of his arm and pulled him back. "Whoa, whoa! Why should I tell the other _three_? You break the news to the guys, and I'll tell the girls. Or, we could tell it to them all, together."

He looked at her incredulously. "You want me to tell Ross? Don't you _at all_ care for the life of your baby's father?"

She sighed again. "Come on, Chandler. It won't be that bad…" she nodded persuasively.

"I am sorry, but I am not telling Ross that I "impregnated" his little sister." He looked at her indignantly, like an adamant child. "Maybe you don't care for my life, but I do."

"Okay, you know what, let's handle Ross together!" she snapped, looking exasperated, even though she knew that her brother could be intimidating at times.

He still didn't look too pleased. "Oh, man..." he whined. "My question is, do we really, _really _have to tell Ross?" He looked at her, consternation evident in his eyes. His expression suddenly cleared like he'd just thought of a great plan. "I know what we should do! You start gorging on high-calorie junk food, and you'll get fat _again_. Then he'll never notice that you're pregnant!"

If looks could kill, he'd have been dead by her feet. He visibly backed off. "Okay, Okay, we'll handle Ross together," he nodded compliantly as they started walking towards their respective apartments.

"You owe me one, Bing," she muttered as she held the doorknob on her door.

"Hey, I've already given you the gift of _life_!" he exclaimed, pointing at her still-flat stomach.

She looked down at where he'd pointed and looked up at him again. "Yeah, and that's another thing that you owe me for." She turned the doorknob and entered her apartment just as he entered his.

She closed the door behind her and came to an abrupt halt in the living room when two pairs of accusatory eyes stared at her evenly.

~.~.~

_A/N: Aren't you intrigued? _


	7. Chapter 6

_A/N: Sorry for leaving a cliffhanger for like ten days, but I had to take a break from both my series and write a short, sweet one-shot. So, as an 'I am sorry. Please forgive me' gesture, I've made this chapter longer than my previous ones ;)_

_For those of you who reviewed the previous chapter, **Thank You!**_

_Now_,_ brace yourself for the reactions of Joey, Rachel, Ross and Phoebe to C&M's news!_

_I wanted this chapter to be funny, as well as emotional. So if you smile at any point while reading this part, I've accomplished my job :)_

_And remember, **the pretty purple hyperlink at the bottom of this page has a reason to its existence.**_

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 6**

"Yeah, and that's another thing that you owe me for." She turned the doorknob and entered her apartment just as he entered his.

She closed the door behind her and came to an abrupt halt in the living room when two pairs of accusatory eyes stared at her evenly.

"Rach, Phoebe, what's up?" she asked them curiously.

"We don't know. You tell us. Is there anything you wanna tell us?" Phobe countered as both the girls moved towards Monica, almost menacingly.

What was _wrong_ with these two?

"Guys, what's going on?" Monica frowned.

"Monica, why is there a message on our answering machine that says you're _pregnant_?" Rachel asked, narrowing her eyes.

_Oh, God. _

She closed her eyes, feeling utterly unprepared for the confrontation. How could she possibly even have been so stupid to forget to erase that goddamned message?

She opened her eyes slowly, sighing when she found the other two still staring at her. She had no other choice than to tell the truth. She sucked at lying.

"Because I am...?" she said quietly, a tone of apprehension creeping into her voice as she watched their expressions change from confusion to incredulity and finally to ecstasy.

"Really? You're gonna have a baby?!" Phoebe asked, practically giddy.

Monica nodded, smiling widely, relief flooding through her as she realized that it was no longer a secret. Looking at her best friends' faces, she knew they were happy for her.

"Who's the father?" Rachel asked the more important question, looking just as giddy.

That was the one question that Monica had hoped wouldn't come up. But knowing her friends, _that_ should have been the first question.

She inhaled deeply, meeting her friends' unwavering, intense gazes. "It's Chandler," she murmured finally.

She was beginning to enjoy this, just a tiny, a very tiny bit. It was fun to watch her two closest friends freak out - even if it was at her expense.

To her satisfaction, they looked thoroughly stumped.

"Chandler? As in Chandler Bing, the guy who lives right across the hall?" Rachel asked after ten seconds of pin-drop silence with an expression of absolute shock.

"Yes."

Their expressions changed, giving way to huge, monstrous grins. "Oh, my God! This is _huge_!" Rachel squealed.

"How did it happen?!" Phoebe grinned, her eyes wide, both of them looking at her expectantly, wanting the more juicy details.

Monica laughed. "On the night of Ben's birth. I was emotional, we got drunk, one thing led to another. You know, just the usual stuff," she shrugged, looking away, knowing that she was blushing.

Every time she thought of that night, she could feel the color rising to her cheeks. After all, the then hazy, blurry details were now rather vivid in her memory.

"Usual stuff, huh?" the girls giggled. "Does he know? How did he take it?" Rachel asked suddenly, looking at Monica warily.

Chandler Bing's infamous commitment issues were rather well known in their friends circle.

"Yeah, he knows. He took it... pretty well, I guess. In fact, we're just returning from my OB/GYN," she smiled at them, once again realizing just how lucky she was that Chandler was willing to do this with her.

"So, are you guys like a couple now?" Rachel looked at her curiously. They'd definitely make a great couple.

"What?! No, no!" Monica shook her head emphatically. "No, we're just having this baby together. We're not involved or anything," she added more calmly. "I am just glad that he hasn't gone into his whole commitment-phobic mode already. Please don't say such things in front of him," she pleaded.

"We won't, Mon. And don't worry about Chandler. The guy loves you. He'll never let you do this on your own," Rachel said softly. Monica and Chandler's closeness was something that she envied. She knew he'd do anything for Monica, without a second thought.

Monica nodded, not knowing what to say. She just hoped what Rachel had said was true, but a reassuring voice in her mind told her that it was indeed true. After all, he'd asked her to _marry_ him.

A moment later, Phoebe and Rachel's expression of happiness turned into something emotional. They came forward and hugged Monica. "We are _so _happy for you," Phoebe whispered as Rachel nodded, but Rachel suddenly drew back from the hug, "_You_ are happy, right?" she asked her, looking concerned.

Monica paused for a second to reflect on the question before she answered. "Yes, Rach. I am happy," she nodded eventually, smiling.

She was truly happy.

"You guys are going to have the most amazing baby, ever," Phoebe murmured, tightening her arms around them.

"Really?" she asked, smiling. She had no doubt that their baby would be 'amazing', but it still felt nice to hear when someone else said it.

"Really. I mean, you're beautiful and he… he has the most gorgeous blue eyes." Rachel looked at her dreamily, imagining what the baby of her best friends would look like.

So she wasn't the only one who thought Chandler's eyes were gorgeous_. _

"And his sharp nose!" exclaimed Phoebe, but instantly added, "God, I hope the baby doesn't inherit his sense of humor, though."

Monica laughed, bringing her arms around them again. "Me, too," she whispered to them as unexpected tears sprang to her eyes.

This baby was going to be loved by every one she loved.

While they were in the middle of the hug, Chandler and Joey entered the apartment.

"So, what did _I _miss?" asked Joey with a suggestive look on his face, pointing at the hug. "This is gonna be like my fantasy come true," he added gleefully, turning to look at Chandler.

Chandler just stared at the three women blankly. _She told them already? That's fast. _

He hadn't even figured out _how _to tell Joey.

Phoebe and Rachel ignored Joey's comments and came forward to hug Chandler. He swayed a little, the intensity of their hug taking him by surprise.

"Congratulations, Chandler! We're really happy for you two."

He raised his head to look at Monica inquiringly. "Told them?"

"Yeah, they heard the doctor's message," she smiled at him.

"Thanks, guys," he told the girls, who were still hugging him.

"Okay, so what am I _really _missing here?" Joey asked again, looking clearly agitated.

Monica looked at Chandler. "Didn't tell him?"

He shook his head and motioned for her to come forward. When she did, he looked at Joey. "Joe, we're going to have a baby," he said, motioning to the space between him and Monica.

Joey looked like he didn't comprehend what Chandler had just said, but in five seconds, his expression changed into one of pure, unadulterated happiness - the kind that only Joey could express. "Oh, my God! That's…That's _great_! How did that happen? When?" he asked in quick succession, but raised a hand to stop them before they could answer. "More importantly, who's going to be the godfather?" he looked at them evenly.

"Joey, we really haven't thought _that_ far ahead. Besides, you know, Ross being Monica's brother and _me _being Ben's godfather, I think Ross-" Chandler's reply was cut off halfway through.

"What?!" Joey exclaimed, looking shaken. "I am not Ben's godfather?"

_Oh, God, I could really do without this conversation right now. _"No, no. You _are_. I was just kidding," Chandler rolled his eyes when Joey sighed in relief.

Before Joey could ask the next question, Phoebe interjected. "Speaking of Ross, how are you guys going to tell him?"

The three of them noticed how Monica and Chandler turned many shades paler at the mention of Ross's name.

"We are just going to tell him together. We haven't figured out a way yet." Monica just hoped it'd go as smooth as it'd gone with these three.

"Don't worry. He'll understand," Rachel doubted it even as she said it.

"Yeah, totally. And you know what I just realized? My psychic is _really _good. On the day of Ben's birth, she told me that a new life was going to be created that night, in _our_ group. So when Ben was born, I was like 'duh!', but now, it totally makes sense!" Phoebe pointed at Monica and Chandler, who just stared at her, not having a clue as to how to respond to that.

They stood in silence for a couple of seconds before Joey turned to look at Chandler and Monica. "You guys are going to make _abysmal_ parents," he told them, his face creased into an expression of utter sincerity.

The other four people in the room looked at each other, wondering whether they'd heard him right.

"What?" Monica asked finally.

"Abysmal! I _know _you two are going to be abysmal parents!" he grinned at them widely, and in a moment of impulsiveness, pulled them both into a hug before pulling back. "I am saying that from my heart," he pointed to his chest with his thumb.

Chandler stared at him incredulously before he nodded. "Thanks. That was the kind of pep talk I was looking for."

~.~

"Call him," Monica hissed to Chandler for the fourth time.

They both were near the kitchen sink, while the other four were in the living room. Ross, who was painfully unaware of what was going on, was whipping out another one of his dinosaur/museum stories that no one cared about.

Chandler sighed again, turning his head towards the living room, and turning back to look at her. "Do you think he believes in the concept of 'Virginal conception'?" he asked her, lifting one hand, "Or 'immaculate conception'?" he lifted the other.

He yelped in pain when her fingers reached out to pinch his arm, successfully garnering them the attention of the other four. Rachel, Phoebe, and Joey, who already knew what was happening, looked at them apprehensively, while Ross just stared, clueless.

"Ro-oss!" Chandler called out in a singsong voice, owing to the pain, all the while glaring at Monica.

Ross looked at them curiously. "Yeah?"

"Ross, we need to talk to you about something," Monica told him, ignoring the glare that was directed at her.

"Over here," Chandler added, pointing to the place where they were standing. He did not need an audience to witness the scene of him being thrashed by an angry older brother.

"Okay," Ross looked at them uncertainly as he got off the couch and came near them. The other three suddenly became very interested in the spaghetti stain on one of the cushions, which had managed to escape Monica's intense scrutiny.

The couple looked at each other awkwardly, silently urging the other one to continue. On seeing that Chandler was not yet ready to open his mouth, Monica turned to look at her brother. "Ross, I am pregnant."

No preamble, no leading into. That's probably what confused Ross.

"What?" he asked them, glancing from one face to the other.

_Man, my brother is slow! _She breathed in slowly, trying to calm her nerves. If she felt _this _nervous about breaking the news to her brother, how bad would it be when she'd have to tell her parents?

She looked up at Ross again, but before she could open her mouth, she felt Chandler's hand taking hold of hers in a gentle grip.

"Ross, we're going to have a baby together," Chandler lifted their entwined hands slightly to signal whom he meant by 'we'. He spoke in a low voice, but whether it was from nerves, doubts, or overwhelming emotions, she didn't know.

Ross smiled at them, looking like they'd just told him a funny joke, but the instant he saw their nervous faces, it changed.

"Wha- wh- how- how's that even possible?" he stuttered, but a second later, realization dawned on him. "You slept together?!" he screeched, taking a step back. "God, I did not need that mental image!" His hands over his eyes, he shook his head, as if to clear off the 'mental image' from his brain.

Slowly dragging his hands down his cheeks, he looked at them again. "Please tell me you're kidding," he pleaded, his eyes hopeful.

"I've still got that message from Dr. Nelson," Monica offered meekly, her hold on Chandler's hand tightening.

Ross suddenly looked angry, his face coloring a deep red, but a second later, he dropped his hands from his face, looking like he had lost all his hope in life, and sighed. "How?"

"If you don't know 'how', then the birth of Ben sure is a mystery," Chandler quipped before Monica could answer.

Brother and sister snapped their heads towards him. He was met with glares from the Geller siblings, glares so intense that he pulled his hand from Monica's and backed off until he could grasp at one of the kitchen chairs.

Monica turned towards her brother, shaking her head in exasperation. She really hoped the baby wouldn't take after its father for its sense of humor. "It happened on the night of Ben's birth, Ross," she told him, "I am sure you don't want to hear anything else," she added.

Ross shook his head disgustedly. He sighed again and looked at his sister and his best friend. Even though Chandler had ventured to come near Monica again, the couple still seemed nervous. And why wouldn't they be? After all, he was the protective big brother who wanted the best for his sister.

He looked at them sharply. "Are you guys going to get married now? Or are you at least together?"

Their heads whipped around to look at each other.

"No!"

"No."

"No."

"No…"

They disagreed, rather vehemently, irking Ross further. "Okay, I get it. You're not together!" he snapped, his fingers pressed against his suddenly throbbing temples. "Do you guys have any idea what you're going to do? I mean, you're not involved. You are just twenty six-"

"I am twenty seven," Chandler interrupted quietly, looking indignant.

"That's not the point." Ross snapped again. "Oh god… This is just too huge." He shook his head.

"I know it's huge, Ross. And no, we have no idea what we're going to do. But while we're figuring that out, we need you by our side. _I _need you by my side. As a brother, as a friend. Please?" Monica came closer to him, her eyes pleading. "The baby needs its uncle."

It was weird that his baby sister was pregnant. It was weird that she was pregnant with his best friend's child. It was weird that they weren't together.

But it could have been worse. It could have been some random guy who'd knocked up his sister.

Monica was levelheaded, practical. She'd know what to do. She'd know how to deal with life as a mother. And Chandler, despite all his goofiness, immaturity, and messed up childhood, loved his sister in a weird way, which eluded his understanding. Although he'd always assured Ross that they were 'just good friends', Ross had felt during most times that Chandler's feelings towards his sister were something more than just friendship. Chandler would never hurt Monica. He was sure of that.

He was sure that the baby will be loved by its both parents. And by its uncle.

He sighed again, a reluctant smile forming on his lips, and pulled his sister into a hug, who exhaled slowly in relief.

"Thank you, Ross," she whispered, sounding like she was about to cry.

"I am not totally happy with this, though," he warned them, pulling back to look at both Chandler and Monica.

"I know," she nodded. "You'll love the baby, though. Right?"

He looked down at his sister, who was looking at him with an expression that revealed fear and doubt. All of a sudden, she looked more vulnerable and fragile than he ever remembered seeing her before, like she was when she _really _was his _baby _sister. He felt a surge of affection. "Of course I'll love the baby, silly!" he laughed, kissing her forehead lightly, and letting her out of his grasp.

He turned his head around to look at Phoebe, Joey and Rachel, who were watching the 'family drama' unfold, in silence. "You guys knew?" he asked them curiously, and smiled as they nodded reluctantly, sheepishly.

Monica smiled as he looked back at her. "Thank you for taking it so well, Ross."

He nodded, smiling.

"Don't tell mom, though," she added immediately, watching him as he nodded again. She smiled at him one last time and left the kitchen, sensing that her brother might want to have a few words with Chandler, alone.

Ross glanced at Chandler, who still appeared nervous. Chandler came forward and stood directly in front of Ross with a tentatively smile on his face. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. But I really need to ask, do you have any idea, at all, about what you guys have gotten yourselves into?" Ross frowned. The question was no longer threatening. Just curious.

Chandler shook his head, sighing. "If you're asking whether I know how to be a dad or even if I am _ready_ to be a dad, then no. But if you're asking me whether I care about your sister, about my baby in there," he pointed at Monica's stomach, "then yes. I care for them both. I'd be willing to anything for them and you know it." He looked at Ross silently for a couple of seconds. "You're gonna have to help me through this, buddy. Teach me how to be a good dad."

Ross nodded before hugging him. "You guys are going to be okay, Chandler. Don't worry," he smiled at him, patting him on the shoulder. "I mean, if I learnt from a monkey that I can be a father, you might as well learn it from me!" he joked. But the instant he said it, the statement felt weird. He paused to reflect on the comparison that he'd just made.

Chandler controlled the urge to laugh at his best friend's weird analogy. This _so _was not the moment to make fun of Ross.

_Beware of the dreaded Gellers._ That'd be his motto for the following eight months.

His eyes wandered towards the living room, where Rachel, Phoebe and Joey were having an animated conversation with Monica. He heard her say 'February eighteenth' before she turned her head and met his eyes. He smiled at her. She smiled back softly before she turned towards the other three again, to address another question that Phoebe had just asked.

He noticed that her hand had unconsciously drifted up, to rest on her belly.

He turned towards Ross again and nodded. "Yeah, we're going to be okay."

~.~.~

_A/N: __So, did you like their reactions? There's nothing sweeter than Ross-Monica bonding (well, there's one thing, and that's called 'Mondler' :)). _

_I think the next chapter will skip a few months._

_Now, get ready for some romance *coughs* Mondler *coughs*, drama, angst and humor in the following chapters! I am super-excited about writing them :D_

_**Another important thing: **If there is less number of Mondler FFs these days, it's probably because the number of reviews that they receive is less._

_Here is the story stats for the last chapter: __**Visitors: 113; **__**Reviews: 8**_

_It takes me two whole days to come up with one chapter and the least you could do for me in return is to spare two minutes of your time to tell me whether or not you liked it. As a writer, it gives me happiness like you can never imagine when I read that you like my stories, which in turn motivates me to write faster and better. So those of you who are reading this, but are reluctant to review, please, please review._

_Bottom line: **Please Do Review. **_


	8. Chapter 7

_A/N: **cherryblush48, gAnGsTa GaBbY lOvEs JoKeR, JennLovesMondler, Anonymous, lizard, tequilaonice1995 , Veridissima, rainbow, Rawr Olivia Grace, dancer cherrybug, minchedder, CC**: **Thank You! Thank you! Thank You!**_

_Friends fanfiction is my first attempt at writing **anything** and I appreciate each and every one of your kind word :)_

_This chapter takes place after about four weeks from where the previous one left off._

_As for the romance… I said romance in the **following **chapters, not the **next **chapter. *The readers start running away. Cynthia pulls them back by their collars* I mean, if I bring on the romance now, what fun would that be? Seriously though, I want this story to be plausible. So you'll find all the cute moments from now on, but for the actual romance, you may have to wait for some time. But don't lose faith in this already! Keep reading it, I'll strive to make it all cute, romantic, and plausible :D_

_**There's a part in Italics here, for which I'd advise reader discretion. The content (concerning miscarriage) might be disturbing for some.**_

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but I sure wouldn't mind owning the Mondler Baby! Can't you just imagine how cute it'd look! Wow, my uterus just skipped a beat…

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 7**

"So how far along are you?" Julie, Ross's new girlfriend, smiled as she pointed at Monica's stomach.

They were all in apartment 20, all except Chandler, who was still at work. Julie, Monica, and Phoebe were in the living room; Joey, as always, was near the fridge, Ross was on the phone with Carol, and Rachel was giving one of the scariest death glares to Monica, from her place in the kitchen.

"Eight weeks," Monica grinned back widely, her hands rising to gently massage her abdomen, which, to her annoyance, was still agonizingly flat. The fact that she was pregnant just didn't seem concrete without a big pregnant belly.

"May I?" Julie pointed at her stomach again, asking her whether it was okay for her to feel it.

Whenever Monica revealed to someone that she was pregnant, they always wanted to do _that_. She didn't understand why, for she still wasn't showing.

She shrugged, nodding. "Go ahead, but I don't think you'll find any difference," she smiled, trying to stifle a giggle as Julie placed her hands on her stomach. Maybe she wasn't showing yet, but it sure was becoming one of her ticklish spots.

"Yeah, it's still flat. But they say, for first-time pregnant women, it takes longer to show. Maybe in another month or so?" Julie took her hands off of Monica's belly.

"Hopefully," Monica smiled back, her eyes drifting towards the kitchen only to see that Rachel was looking at her, her eyes filled with pure hatred. She turned her head away immediately, hoping to escape her friend's wrath.

She found it ironic. During all the time when Ross had a hopeless crush on Rachel, Rachel was oblivious to it. Now that Rachel had a hopeless crush on Ross, he was oblivious.

She'd thought stuffs like these happened only in soap operas and in sitcoms.

But hey, what did she know about life? She never thought she'd be twenty six, unmarried, and pregnant with her best friend's baby. You'd be surprised what life throws at you.

Ross hung up the phone, placing it on the kitchen table, and turned to look at Monica. "Hey, Mon, Carol and Susan are celebrating an anniversary," he flushed a deep red, muttering 'God knows what for' under his breath, and continued again, "so will it be all right with you guys if I bring Ben over later tonight?" he looked at both Rachel and Monica.

"Of course it's all right," Monica smiled at her brother, glad that she'd get to spend some time with her nephew. Rachel, too, nodded her assent.

The phone rang again, and Rachel picked it up. "Hello? Hey, Chandler. Hold on for a sec."

Monica smiled to herself. She knew he was calling for her, to ask her whether she needed anything. Not wanting to look too expectant, she sat looking at Phoebe who was strumming her guitar, and waited for Rachel to call for her.

"Monica, it's Chandler," Rachel handed her the phone, still not happy with her for actually being cordial towards Julie.

Ignoring the look, she took the phone from Rachel as she stood up and went near the window, seeking privacy.

Something about their conversations felt more personal and private these days. They both liked the new intimacy that their 'parents-to-be' status had brought to their relationship. If the others noticed any change in their interactions, they didn't bring it up.

"Hey," she spoke softly, smiling.

"Hey, Mon. How are ya today?" he smiled widely as he stretched his limbs, placing his legs on his office desk, while cradling the receiver between his head and his shoulder. The phone slipped from his shoulder when he lost his balance momentarily. He fumbled for the receiver and sat up straight in his chair, his senses more awakened due to his recent acrobatic moves. But the smile on his lips remained intact.

"Fine, fine. Threw up twice, and I still feel like I might fall asleep anytime now. But fine."

"That's good," he nodded. "So, I am gonna start from here. Do you need me to get you anything?" He was still repulsed by most of the food items that she craved for. He'd thought 'pregnancy cravings' was a myth until he saw the things that she ate. But bringing her the stuffs that she yearned for and watching her as she enjoyed it gave him a sense of satisfaction and happiness. After all, she was the mother of his child.

She already knew what she wanted, and there was no one other than Chandler she'd tell what it was. He might make disgusted faces, but she knew he didn't mind bringing her those stuffs, and he actually enjoyed doing it for her. "Promise you won't laugh?" she asked him, wanting his reassurance, knowing fully well that it was just a futile attempt on her part.

"Okay, I promise." He was already grinning widely, expecting her to say one of her weird combinations that didn't in the least sound appetizing.

"Strawberry ice cream."

He frowned. _Strawberry ice cream?_ That didn't sound as unappetizing as most other items that were usually on her list. In fact, it actually sounded good.

"Mon, that's actually one of the best things you've asked me for in the past few weeks. Is that it or do you need something else?" he asked her curiously, sensing that there was more.

She paused, moving away from the others in the living room and lowered her voice. "And goldfish cracker."

Sure enough, he made the disgusted face. But the good thing was, she wasn't next to him to see it. "Monica, if you're going to eat them separately, I am all for it. But something tells me you're going to dip the cracker in the ice cream."

She sighed. "I can't help it, Chandler! I am craving it. The baby is craving it!"

He chuckled at how desperate she sounded for an ice cream and goldfish crackers_. _"You know what, this isn't quite so bad. Rosemary craved for raw meat," he reassured her.

She stared blankly at the window, only to see Ugly Naked Guy do something that she thought (and hoped) she'd never see in her life. She averted her eyes from the scene, still having no idea about what he was talking. "What?"

"You know. Rosemary - Rosemary's baby? Ira Levin? Mia Farrow?" he asked her, one by one, hoping she'd recognize at least one.

She remained clueless. She shook her head, taking the phone with her to her bedroom and lying down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "I am thinking this is what Joey must feel like everyday."

He laughed. "Come on, Mon. You know it. It's that horror movie. She gets pregnant. Her neighbors start acting weird. Her husband starts acting weird-" his reply was cut off, halfway through.

"Oh wait! Is it the one with the Satan worship?" she interrupted him, feeling triumphant that she'd figured out what he was referring to.

"That's the one!" he grinned. "It's a great movie."

"Yeah, I think I've seen it before. It's a book?" she asked him curiously. It'd been way too long since she'd read anything.

"Yep. And that's great, too," he nodded, getting off the chair, placing all the papers into their corresponding folders in the file.

"Could you get me that, too?" she asked him, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "It's been a long time since I read something."

"Oh no, no, no. My baby in there is not going to be exposed to horror or any other scary element." He paused to think for a second. "Maybe I could get you something light, though. Like comedy? Or romance?"

"Maybe," she shrugged, smiling. Every time he said 'my baby', she smiled, her heart doing a strange fluttering movement against her ribs.

"How about Wodehouse? Or if you want something romantic, you could read 'Gone with the wind'," he suggested.

"No, I've already read that," she shook her head. "I need something more contemporary. A more contemporary romance," she told him with conviction.

"Yeah?" He stuffed the files hastily into his briefcase. He wanted to see her tonight. For the past three days, she'd fallen asleep before he'd reached home.

"Yeah..." she stayed silent for a couple of seconds before she spoke again nervously, lowering her voice. "Could you um… would you get me one of your mom's books?"

On hearing the silence and his soft chuckle a couple of seconds later, she knew what was coming.

"So when you said _romance, _you meant _smut,_" he grinned wickedly, looking out his office window.

"Come on, Chandler… My hormones are already on overdrive. The fourth-month hormone rush has come early! Please, that's the closest thing to sex for me." she whined, her voice barely loud for him to hear.

His grin getting wider, he whispered back, "Mon, if you're having _that _kind of _craving_, you know I am always there for you…"

Feeling the color rising to her cheeks, the smile on her face getting wider even as she tried to stop it from spreading, she replied before she hung up the phone. "Bing, shut up and get me the book."

~.~

"_Hey!" Chandler entered her kitchen, acknowledging her presence with a nod._

_She nodded back, smiling. "Want some coffee?"_

"_Nah…" he smiled at her. "I just came to see the baby. Where is it?"_

_She frowned, thinking hard. Baby? She had a baby? She didn't remember having one, though._

_Chandler was looking at her curiously. "Monica, where is the baby?" he asked her again._

_She vaguely remembered being pregnant, but she didn't remember giving birth. Maybe she was still pregnant. Maybe Chandler had misunderstood and thought she'd already given birth._

_She stared back at Chandler blankly before she looked down to see whether she was still pregnant._

_But her stomach was flat. She ran a hand over it, trying to find out whether there was a hidden bump._

_Then she felt it. That feeling like something was running down her leg. She hiked up her skirt and saw the thin red line, which had now managed to reach her left foot._

_"Oh, Monica, you know that's going to leave a stain," Chandler was murmuring disapprovingly, somewhere above her._

_She glanced up at Chandler in horror, but he wasn't there anymore. There was no one around._

_Glancing down at her leg again, she bent down and pressed her fingers just above her ankle, on the red streak. She lifted her hand to her eyes._

_She felt faint as she saw the bright red blood gleam jarringly._

_~.~_

She woke with a start, the sweat on her forehead glistening from the streetlight that was streaming through the gap between the curtains.

She pushed the sheets away, pulling her dress above her thigh and checked whether she was bleeding.

Nothing.

She placed her hands on her belly, trying to feel something, _anything_, but felt nothing.

Of course, there'd be nothing. After all, she was only a couple of months pregnant.

She took deep breaths, calming herself down as her heart slowed down its pace.

She'd read such dreams were common towards the end of the pregnancy, but why now?

She didn't know. All she knew was that she needed a glass of water. She pulled down her dress, pushing the sheets completely away from around her and stood up.

She turned to look at the clock near the night lamp, which read 9:38, its digital numbers looking rather blurred through the tears in her eyes.

_9:38? _It surprised her that she'd fallen asleep before 11 pm.

She opened her bedroom door to find the living room dark. She glanced towards Rachel's bedroom, and saw that the lights there, too, had been turned out. She remembered something about Rachel having to see her mother the next day, early.

She had slept even before Chandler had reached home. She hadn't even been awake to see Ben.

She flicked the lights on as she entered her kitchen and opened her fridge to get a bottle of water.

The dream had been vivid. So vivid that it scared her now.

Brushing away her tears, she placed the bottle on the kitchen table, and looked at Rachel's bedroom door longingly, but shook her head, knowing it was not a good time to wake her friend up to share the details of her nightmare. Not that Rachel wouldn't understand, but Rachel needed to rest for her early day tomorrow.

Besides, Rachel wasn't the one with whom she wanted to talk.

She opened her apartment door and looked down to see whether the lights in apartment 19 were still on. They were.

She knocked on their door, but no one answered. As she opened it, she found the living room empty, but she could still make out the lights coming from beneath both the closed bedroom doors.

She made her way up to Chandler's bedroom and thought of knocking, but changed her mind.

She pushed it open and found Chandler lying on his bed, his right leg crossed over his left, his hands holding a copy of 'What to expect when you're expecting'.

She smiled lightly at the sight. "Chandler?" she called out for him softly, not wanting to freak him out.

It didn't work, though. He looked startled on hearing her voice. He closed the book instantly and tried to hide it beneath his pillow, only the book was too thick to be hid easily.

On his third attempt, he gave up and sat up on his bed, smiling at her sheepishly. "Hey, Mon."

She smiled as she entered his bedroom, closing the door behind her.

He sighed. "Okay, all right, I was reading it."

"You didn't hear me complaining," she shook her head as she sat down next to him.

He smiled again, but noticed that she looked pale. "Everything all right?" He placed a hand on her forehead as if to check whether she had a fever.

"Yeah," she nodded. "It's just… I had a bad dream," she shrugged. She didn't want him to ask what it was about.

As though reading her thought, he didn't ask her. "Oh," he just nodded understandingly. "I've got that ice cream for you; it's in my fridge. And the goldfish cracker," he looked at her pointedly, "that's on the kitchen counter. And," he leaned across the bed and got hold of a book on the nightstand, "here's 'Euphoria Unchained' by Nora Tyler Bing," he smirked as he handed it to her. "Apparently, it's the second book in a trilogy. It was just published and it'd already sold a million copies." He shook his head, "Man, kids these days are _horny_."

She smiled back weakly, the bright red blood from the dream still vivid in her memory.

"Monica, is everything _really_ all right?" he asked her, concern lining his features as his fingers rose to brush her cheek.

She looked at him for a couple of seconds and shook her head. "I dreamt of losing the baby, Chandler," she whispered, closing her eyes, scared that if she said it louder, it might become true.

Maybe it was just a dream, but the tears that seeped through her closed eyelids told him that it'd left her terrified.

"Oh, honey," he wrapped his arms around her stroking her hair gently. "That's not going to happen, Mon," he whispered as he kissed the side of her head.

His voice held a confidence that she didn't possess at that moment. She clung to him, her fingers clutching his shirt tightly, taking deep breaths to stop herself from letting the tears fall.

She'd cried on his shoulder on finding that she was _having _this baby, but now, she cried for the fear of losing it. Life sure had a way with her.

He drew back lightly, kissing her forehead repeatedly. He noticed that her breathing had slowly returned to normal. "Mon…" He looked at her uncertainly, looking like he was wondering whether or not to ask her something. He inhaled deeply. "Mon, um… would you like to sleep here with me tonight?"

She wiped away the remainder of her tears, a smile forming on her lips as she saw how uncertain he looked. "Yeah," she nodded. "Can I?" she looked at him, just as uncertainly.

He smiled back. "Of course you can." He kissed her forehead again as he moved to one side of the bed before turning out the lights.

She lay down next to him, facing away from him as she closed her eyes, hoping there wouldn't be anymore nightmares.

She felt his arm wrap around her abdomen, pulling her closer to him with gentle possessiveness, as though he was protecting her and protecting their baby.

She smiled as she turned around in his arms to rest her head on his chest, right above his heart.

His steady heartbeat lulling her, she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

He watched her as she slept, remembering the last time she'd slept there.

That was the night which changed their lives forever. If he hadn't realized it before, he realized it now - the baby, _their _baby meant the world to them.

He sighed as her kissed her closed eyelids, falling asleep almost instantly, having her in his arms leaving him feeling more complete and content than he could ever remember being.

~.~.~

_A/N: **Rosemary's baby: **It's a book by Ira Levin, which was later adapted into a movie by Roman Polanski. If you're a fan of horror and haven't seen the movie or read the book, I'd highly recommend both._

_For those of you who are wondering why there were 3 mails in your inbox for the previous chapter, it's because I took down the chapter twice and uploaded it thrice. The first time I uploaded it, I opened up the live preview to proofread it (yes, I am the kind of idiot who proofreads the chapter **after** uploading it), and I found an error. I took it down and uploaded it again and found another error. You know, I'd love to narrate the whole thing, but I haven't copyrighted the story as a cure for insomnia, yet. So let's just skip it, okay?_


	9. Chapter 8

_A/N: 10 reviews for one chapter! That's a rare phenomenon in Friends fandom, these days. So, thank you! And I agree: The best relationship is Chandler and Monica :)_

_This chapter takes place when Monica is about twelve weeks pregnant, and it **isn't **about Mondler telling the news to their parents. I figured I could deal with that later._

_And another thing: **This chapter is a little too sappy. **I hope no one's allergic to mushy-sappy chapters :D_

Disclaimer: If I did own them, do you really think I'd be writing fan fiction? I'd probably be making a reunion movie. Sigh…

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 8**

"Pheebs, Duncan called last night. He wanted to invite you to his wedding and was wondering what your address was." Monica finished off her juice in one big gulp.

Contrary to how things had been when she'd started to gain weight as a teenager, she now had a reason to consume huge amounts of food, without others commenting on it.

"Yeah, I don't think I'll be going. It'd be too weird," Phoebe shrugged, but a second later, she added excitedly, "Ooh, I wonder if his brother's gonna be there! Then _that _would be different," she giggled, taking another bite of her pancake.

Monica smiled back, shaking her head.

"Good mornin'!" Ross greeted the other five as he entered the apartment. He pulled up a chair and sat down next to Joey for his breakfast. "So, how are you feeling today?" he smiled at his sister.

"Great, actually. I haven't thrown up since the day before yesterday," she grinned back, looking at Chandler briefly. "And no horrible dreams in the past three weeks, either," she added, leaning towards Chandler.

He smiled back, ruffling her hair fondly.

"So guys, will you be able to make it to my play tomorrow evening?" Joey asked, looking up from the massive pile of pancakes on his plate.

"Yeah," Phoebe, Rachel, and Ross nodded. "Sure."

"Sorry, Joe," Chandler shook his head apologetically. "Monica and I have that OB/GYN appointment of hers to go to tomorrow. We won't be able to make it."

"Yeah, sorry," Monica nodded.

"Nah… that's okay," Joey shrugged, returning to his pancakes. The lesser the number of people, the lesser he was going to be made fun of.

"Oh, I totally forgot about your appointment!" Phoebe turned towards Chandler and Monica. "Isn't it going to be your first ultrasound? You'll see the baby! You'll hear its heartbeat!" She looked at them excitedly as they grinned back at her. "And you'll know whether it's a boy or a girl!"

Monica frowned. "No, I thinks it's a little soon for _that._"

Chandler nodded. "Yeah, the books say that it'd be possible only around the eighteenth week to determine the baby's sex through ultrasound," he finished Monica's statement and shrunk back in his chair on receiving weird looks from the other two men.

"You read a book on _pregnancy_?" Joey asked him incredulously.

Rachel interrupted before Chandler could reply. "Ignore them, Chandler. I think it's amazing that you're so involved in this pregnancy." She rubbed his arm lightly and got up to clean up her plate, leaving him smiling smugly.

"So what do you guys want it to be? Boy or a girl?" Phoebe's enthusiasm rubbing off on others, they all looked at the parents-to-be expectantly.

"I don't care. I'd love the baby either way," Monica shrugged, getting up as well, conveniently avoiding the question.

The others left it at that as they started off conversations of their own. They left for work, one by one, leaving Monica and Chandler alone as she started to get ready for her work.

When he finally closed the 'entertainment' section of that day's newspaper, he heard her call for him from her bedroom.

"Chandler! Come here!"

He couldn't sense the tone. He knew that she was excited about whatever it was that she wanted to tell him, but it's never reassuring when a pregnant woman calls for you from her room with a sense of urgency.

He immediately placed the newspaper on the coffee table and made his way to her room. "Monica, what? What is it?" He opened her door to find her standing in nothing but her slip, with a euphoric grin on her face.

He stared at her in amusement. "So it _is_ true that pregnant women get horny around the end of the first trimester. Mon, couldn't you have waited until tonight?" he grinned at her suggestively, taking a step into the room and closing the door behind him.

She glared at him for an instant, but her huge smile returned. "No, gutter mind. Come here!" she motioned for him to come closer, and when he obliged, she took hold of his hand and placed his palm on her abdomen, and then dropped her hand to her side.

He looked at her in confusion, only to see that she was looking back at him with excitement. But as he moved his hand on her stomach, over the silky fabric, his expression of bemusement turned into one of awe.

He'd found what she'd wanted him to find.

"Oh, my God…" he whispered, lightly caressing the tiny bump on her abdomen.

She smiled up at him giddily. "There's a bump!"

"That's the baby…" he looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise.

He could feel a surge of pure happiness course through his body as he realized that this was the first physical proof that his baby was in there. "Wow," he murmured, astounded.

She smiled back at him, placing her own hand over his again. "I know."

~.~

He'd been grinning like an idiot all day long, an unfaltering smile taking up permanent residence on his face.

If just the feel of a baby bump made him so ecstatic, he didn't how he'd react the next day at the doctor's office, where he'd hear the baby's heartbeat, and actually _see_ the baby.

His assistant had already been glancing at him worriedly.

He entered Monica and Rachel's apartment and found Monica, Joey, and Ross along with Ben in the living room. He placed his briefcase on the kitchen table and entered the living room, with his smile still intact. However, the look on Monica's face made his smile falter.

She was wearing a sad frown as she looked at her nephew who was sitting in his little rocking seat on the coffee table, and from the looks of it, Ben was frowning back at her, looking just as sad.

He sat down next to her. "Mon, is everything okay?"

She turned to him, bleary-eyed, but before she could answer, Joey jumped in.

"Hey, Chan! Look at this." Joey lifted Ben from his seat and brought him near Monica. The moment the he was brought near Monica, the 3-month-old began to whimper, much to the amusement of Joey. Joey grinned at Chandler, moving the baby away from Monica for a couple of seconds, allowing the infant to pacify, and brought him back near her. Sure enough, Ben cried again. "Isn't that cool?" Joey grinned.

Chandler turned to Ross, who just shrugged helplessly. Although he found it slightly amusing, and was even a little proud that his son had an extra sense that allowed him to sense whenever he was brought near his aunt, he knew that his sister wasn't as amused.

Chandler could see the tears forming at the corner of her eyes. He knew, at any other time, Monica would have just glared at Joey until he backed off, and at any other time, he himself would have found Ben's aversion to his aunt to be funny and even a little entertaining. But the pregnancy made her more vulnerable. At that moment, she wasn't his 'emotionally strong' Monica. Rather, she was a Monica who was on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

He discreetly motioned for Joey to back off. Joey looked at him, clueless, until he got the hint. He nodded, placed the baby back in the seat, and left the living room to raid the fridge for the third time that evening.

"I am pregnant, I am unmarried and my nephew hates me," she said, her voice low, still frowning at Ben.

"Mon, don't be silly!" Ross chided her. "Ben loves you."

She glared at her brother. "Oh, really?" She leaned forward and lifted Ben. The moment he entered her embrace, he began to fuss. "See, he _does _hate me." She handed the baby to Chandler, sniffing slightly. Suddenly she turned pale, looking like she just realized something. "What if my own baby hates me?" she looked at Chandler in horror.

"Mon-" Ross started, trying to tell her that her fear was just plain ridiculous, but seeing that she was already on the verge of tears, he kept his mouth shut, stood up, pointing at the kitchen counter lamely, leaving Chandler alone to comfort her.

"Monica, our baby is not gonna hate you," he assured her gently, making funny faces at Ben. Even though Ben hadn't learned to laugh yet, he'd learnt to smile those little baby smiles. He graced Chandler with one. "For that matter, even Ben doesn't hate you." He turned the baby towards Monica. "Here, hold him."

She looked at him apprehensively and shook her head. "I don't want to."

"Oh, come on, Mon," he brought the baby further near her. "See? He wants his aunt to hold him." He brought the baby closer and moved him back suddenly, making Ben smile widely. "Look, he's enjoying it! Just hold him for a second. If he cries, I'll take him back. I promise," he smiled at her encouragingly.

She looked at him, doubtful, and she reached out her arms tentatively to hold the baby. Yet again, Ben cried when she held him. She shook her head, disheartened, and handed Ben back to Chandler. "Chandler, I don't thi-" she started, but he interrupted her.

"Okay, okay, you know what, let's take him somewhere else. Let's- let's go near that window," he pointed as he stood up, carrying the baby with him. When he saw that she was reluctant to follow, he offered her his hand. "Mon, please?"

She sighed, taking his hand, allowing him to pull her towards the window.

"Now, hold him," he offered her the baby again.

"Chandler…" she protested feebly, suddenly feeling physically and emotionally drained out. Why couldn't he just leave her alone to wallow in self-pity?

"Absolute last time," he said softly as he placed the baby in her arms.

Ben, however, had not tired of whimpering. Just as he started to whimper again, Chandler placed his hand on the baby's head, and turned to Monica. "Why don't you try rocking him?"

She didn't have the energy to protest. She did as she was asked to and swayed slightly on the spot, gently rocking the baby.

The constant whimpering turned to a few desolate sobs and finally stopped completely. She looked at Chandler in amazement. "He's not crying!"

He smiled at her, looking down to see Ben's face. "See? I told ya! And, he's almost asleep," he pointed at the baby, who yawned slowly, elaborately.

She smiled back at him, an unknown emotion for him overwhelming her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he grinned back. He turned towards the kitchen to see that the other two were looking at them with an identical, strange expression. He shook his head, turning back towards the window. He suddenly pointed at something. "Look, Ben! That's your aunt Monica's underwear on that telephone pole!"

She kicked his ankle lightly, shifting the now-asleep baby on her shoulder.

He turned towards her again, still smiling at her softly. She grinned back at him, both of them reaching an unspoken conclusion.

They could do everything to perfection, as long as they did it together.

~.~

"Chandler, are you freaking out?" Monica asked him from her place on the examining table, which strangely felt utterly comfortable.

He stopped pacing around the room to look at her. "No. Why?"

"Nothing. It's just, you've circled the room twenty eight times now, and it's only been ten minutes but I already feel like I am watching a toddler on sugar buzz." She looked at him pointedly. "And I certainly don't think I'd be able to take six more months of _that._"

"Sorry," he grinned at her nervously, coming to a still near her, placing his hands next to hers on the table. "I am just excited. Aren't you excited?"

"Of course I am excited! But right now, I am thinking _you _areexcited enough for both of us," she smiled back. "Why don't we talk about something? That should keep you from pacing around till the doctor comes."

"Okay," he nodded, thinking of something to talk about. "So, what do you _really _want the baby to be, boy or girl?"

"I said it before, I'd love the baby irrespective of whether it's a girl _or _a boy," she shrugged, adjusting the rather thin hospital gown.

He looked at her silently for a couple of second. "You want it to be a girl, don't you?" he looked at her, cocking his eyebrow in an 'I know you too well' manner.

"Wha-! I never said-" she started to protest, but off his skeptical look she shrugged again, smiling sheepishly. "I can't help it, girls are prettier!" she exclaimed in a Monica-esque way, just as Dr. Nelson entered the room.

"Hello, it's good to see you two again," the doctor smiled at them. "So, Monica, are you ready for your first ultrasound?" The doctor pulled the ultrasound probe from its place and reached for a bottle on the adjacent tray.

Monica nodded as she pulled the paper cover over her waist, pulling the dressing gown above her abdomen, revealing her bare belly.

"Okay, this may feel a little cold," the doctor warned as she squeezed a blob of gel onto her stomach, sliding the probe over her abdomen.

There was no time for preparation, it all happened within moments - A fast rhythmic galloping that intensified as the doctor moved the probe around her stomach. A foot, a hand. And then the baby. A baby that was kicking around, probably still beyond tiny, but kicking around like it'd never tire of it.

"Oh, my God!" Monica laughed, looking at the screen.

"Yes, you seem to have a very active baby in there," the doctor grinned back at the couple. "But the it's still very tiny, that's why you don't feel anything yet."

Monica turned to Chandler and saw that he was staring at the screen, transfixed. He pointed at the screen a moment later, grinning widely. "Would you just _look_ at that! Still kicking away like nobody's business," he laughed, looking at Monica.

The room abruptly came to a silent standstill, except for the still rhythmic fetal heartbeat and the sound of the tapping of keys by the doctor on the instrument.

Even though, from the very beginning, the gravity of the situation had not been lost on either of them, this moment seemed to make it all the more real.

It was _their _baby moving around in her belly, unknown even to her. It was _their _baby's heartbeat that resonated throughout the room.

_Their baby._

The doctor hit a button on the monitor, freezing the black and white image of the fetus on the screen. She noticed that the young couple had suddenly turned silent. "I'll get someone to get you the pictures. I'll just give you two a minute," she smiled at them before she left the room.

The couple turned to look at the monitor again. Looking at it, they knew that the tiny being that appeared on the screen would mean to them more than anything else ever had or anything else ever would.

His fingers brushed against hers on the side of the table. Once, twice - as though by accident. The third time, they weaved their way through hers, holding her hand gently in his.

She looked down at their entwined fingers and realized that there probably still was a hope for the happy family that she'd always yearned for.

As she looked up at him, he smiled at her, his eyes filled with warmth and love. He whispered pointing at the screen with their entwined hands. "That's _our _baby."

She smiled back as she nodded, willing the tears to stop. "Stupid pregnancy hormones," she murmured, laughing through her tears.

He smiled back as be bent down to kiss her on the forehead, his grasp on her fingers tightening.

_Yeah, there was still hope._

_~.~.~_

_A/N: See? They do have hope! And so must you… ;)_

_How long did it take you to read this? Fifteen minutes? It took me six hours to come up with it. Guys, I love writing this fic, and if you're enjoying this, it makes me doubly happy. **So please do review.**_

_Oh, and I've got some **actual **romance planned out for the next chapter :D_


	10. Chapter 9

_A/N: This chapter takes place when Monica is about nineteen weeks pregnant. **It is **about Monica parents' reactions. _

_Fortunately for me, unlike Monica, I am blessed with amazing parents. So, I wouldn't know **exactly** how Monica would feel towards her highly critical parents. I've tried my best to get things right, though._

_If Judy comes off a little harsh, I am sorry. It's probably 'cause I really, really hate her._

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 9**

"Hey, why are you all dressed up?" Joey asked Chandler as he entered their living room.

"Monica and I are gonna meet her parents," he replied, rather unenthusiastically.

When he'd informed Ross about their plan that afternoon, Ross had mumbled something about his parents not being very fond of Chandler. Stuttering incoherently, he'd finally warned by saying, "Be careful, Chandler."

_Be careful, Chandler. _That was the only part he'd understood from what Ross had told him. He didn't understand why the Gellers would hate him. He'd hardly met them ten times, and even those visits had been long back, during college. He'd never been comfortable around them. Not that they were hostile, but they weren't particularly warm people (at least, not towards him). His last visit to their house had been when Ross and Monica's grandmother had died.

Ross had also mentioned something about how someone 'got high'. Shocked, he'd asked for clarification on the part of 'who got high', that's when the incoherent mumbling had started.

"Why?" Joey looked at him, confused.

Chandler sighed. "We're going to tell them that-" he started, but Joey cut him off.

"That you knocked-up Monica. Right," Joey nodded his understanding, moving towards the television, blandly oblivious to the glare that Chandler leveled at him.

"No, we're going to tell them that we're having a baby together," Chandler completed his sentence.

"Yeah, that's what I said," Joey nodded again, turning the TV on as Chandler rolled his eyes.

"What are you doing this evening? Any plans?" Chandler looked at the door, wondering where Monica was.

It would have been a little comforting to have a confident Monica by his side as he met her parents on an occasion such as this, but that wasn't the case, either. She was as terrified as he was, if not more.

At least, she was facing them bravely, in spite of her mother's constant criticism on everything from her hairstyle, clothing, work, and choice of men. He, on the other hand, was not even keen on telling his parents about the new developments in his life. They wouldn't criticize, but they wouldn't express anything but apathy, either. Or so he thought.

"Yep, Baywatch season 4. All night long." Joey showed the videotape in his hand before inserting it into the VCR.

"Enjoy, man." Chandler bent down to tie his shoelace. When he straightened up, Monica entered, already looking flustered.

"Are you ready? I told them we'd be there by six." She entered the kitchen, distractedly patting her hair, making sure that it covered her ears.

_Your ears are not your best feature._

"Yeah, let's go," he nodded, taking her elbow.

"Good luck, guys!" Joey waved them goodbye from his Barcalounger, without turning his head.

They mumbled a 'thank you' and closed the door behind them.

They needed all the luck there was for this.

~.~

"What _did _you tell your parents on the phone?" he asked her, following her out the cab after paying the fare.

"I told them that I had some important news to tell, and that I would be bringing a guest over," she replied, heading towards the house.

He jogged to catch up with her, looking at her incredulously. "So they have no idea that I am coming with you?!"

"Nope," she shook her head.

"This is getting better and better." He cracked his knuckles nervously. "And what _is _this thing that you're wearing?" he pointed at her ridiculously baggy dress, which looked like it could fit another person inside.

"Well, I don't want them to find out before I tell them," she shrugged, ringing the bell.

"So you wore a dress from your _fat_ days to camouflage the bump," he looked at her skeptically as she glared at him, without answering.

Jack answered the door cheerfully, with Judy behind him. "There she _is_! My little Harmoni-" he stopped his sentence mid-way on noticing who was beside her.

Suddenly she wished Ross was with her there. Her brother was the buffer between their parents and her. She and Chandler could have really used his moral support at the moment.

No such luck, though.

"So _this _is the guest you were talking about." Judy looked at Monica, disappointment evident in her voice. "Hello, Chandler," she smiled at him tightly as he wondered whether or not to smile back.

It was going to be a _long_ night.

~.~

"So what's new with you, sweetie?" Silverware clinking on porcelain, Jack patted Monica's hand affectionately. "You still work at that little restaurant? What's the name, Judy? Oh, yes, Iridium. You still work there, right?"

_Little restaurant._

Her parents had successfully shut Chandler out of all the conversations. She didn't think he minded, but now, she wished they'd shift some of their attention towards him.

Her mother had already commented on her hair, ears, and complexion. Now it came to her job, then it'd be her boyfriend, or the lack thereof. It was always in that order.

She appreciated the fact that they'd at least had the civility to not question the reason behind Chandler's presence there.

Before she could reply, Judy turned towards her husband. "Of course, she does, Jack! What did you expect? Head chef at a luxury restaurant?" she laughed, indicating how absurd even the idea sounded. Jack shrugged, returning his focus to his plate.

Chandler saw that Monica looked like someone had slapped her right across the face. "I think it's a great restaurant!" he exclaimed, hoping to assure Monica that at least someone was proud of what she did.

She smiled at him lightly, acknowledging his effort. But the other two apparently hadn't heard it. The continued their conversation, paying no heed to what Chandler had said.

"Monica, you said on the phone that you wanted to tell us something. What is it?" Judy asked her daughter, hoping that the news wouldn't be 'Chandler and I are together'.

Monica had had enough of the evening. She wanted to get this visit over and done with. She turned towards Chandler who was staring at her blankly. Ignoring the sense of foreboding that grew with every second, she turned towards her parents again. "Mom, Dad, I am pregnant." She took a deep breath, as her parents sat speechless. "And before you ask, Chandler is the father."

Chandler and Monica waited for the bomb to detonate. In a second, it did.

"How? How is that even possible?! Are you two together?" Jack looked at the couple agitatedly.

"No, dad. We are not," she shook her head. "_And _we're not getting married, either," she added for good measure.

"You _are_ _not_ going to get married! What do-" Jack's second set of questions abruptly stopped when Judy squeezed his arm.

"I didn't _expect_ you to get married," Judy told her daughter, her face revealing her discontent over the whole situation, and the fact that she thought that her daughter would, in fact, _never_ get married. She turned Jack. "You know, Jack. Kids these days, they sleep around."

Chandler placed his hand on Monica's thigh, trying to calm her as she fisted the napkin. "Calm down," he mouthed as she turned to face him.

She slowly unclenched her fingers. "It wasn't like that, mom," she gritted through her teeth.

"I am sure we don't want to know the details," Judy shrugged, her smile appearing a little fake. "How far along are you?" she asked her daughter in a manner that lacked both warmth and interest.

"Nineteen weeks," Chandler replied to the question, hoping at least _that_ part would bring some enthusiasm to the conversation. He was wrong.

A thick, tension-filled silence filling the air, Judy pointed at Monica's plate. "Eat. Malnutrition is one of the major causes for miscarriage." All heads turned towards their respective plates. "Although it wouldn't too bad if you lost _this _one," she muttered, barely audibly, just loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.

Monica closed her eyes tightly, trying to control her ragged breath, to ignore her suddenly burning throat.

It was Chandler's turn to fist his napkin. He looked at Monica to see that she'd turned deathly pale, her eyes tightly shut, as if to alleviate pain. He stood from his chair abruptly, pulling at Monica's arm. "Mon, um… Mon, we have to- we have that Joey's going away party to go to."

She opened her eyes to stare at him, his face looking dangerously red, a complete contrast to her own. She stood up with a feeling of surreality, dropping the spoon on the table, and saw that her parents were staring at them, dumbfounded.

"I am sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Geller. We failed to plan it well. We should be in another place now." He tugged at Monica's hand, leading her towards the door. "Thank _you_, for your hospitality, though," his voice oozing with sarcasm, he handed Monica her coat as he lead them out the door, slamming the door shut hard behind them.

She followed him numbly as they headed back home, the cab ride filled with absolute silence.

~.~

"Mon…" he whispered tentatively, his fingers lightly brushing her upper arm as they climbed the stairs to her apartment. "I am sorry it didn't go well."

She shook her head without turning to look at him. "It's not your fault."

"Yeah, but-" his reply was cut-off when Ross entered the hallway from apartment 19.

"Hey, how did it go?" he looked at them warily, and when he received no reply from his sister and just a shrug from Chandler, he knew the answer. He nodded, not knowing what to say, and moved out of their way saying, "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

They entered her apartment to find it empty. It was still pretty early, which meant Rachel was probably at the coffeehouse.

He followed her and sat down beside her on the couch. They knew it wouldn't go smoothly, but now, 'it hadn't gone smoothly' was an understatement. All that resonated in their minds was Judy's low voice saying 'It wouldn't be too bad if you lost this one'.

How a mother could possibly tell such a thing to her daughter, he didn't know. "I really am sorry," he said again, moving closer to her.

She shrugged. "I didn't expect it to go well, Chandler." She looked at him, hyperventilating as she tried not to cry. "But she said she wanted me to _lose _the baby. That's not something every mother wants to hear." She closed eyes again and turned towards him completely.

"I know, Mon," he pulled himself closer and wrapped his arms around her, his hands rubbing her back comfortingly. "I know."

They remained tightly locked in their embrace for several minutes before she took a few deep breaths and pulled back. "Since the 'telling my parents' plan went really well, when are you going to tell _your _parents?" she smiled at him lightly, trying to move past the events of that evening.

"Do I have to?" he whined, willingly following her lead, pulling back a little to rest his back against the armrest of the couch.

"If I faced Judy Geller, you sure can face Nora Bing," she nodded, playing with his fingers, which had come to rest next to hers on the couch. "Do you think I'll turn out to be like my mom when I get old?" she asked slowly, without meeting his eyes. "She told me during nana's funeral that her own mother was very much like how she is now, y'know? Only she didn't realize she was describing _herself_ when she described nana."

He looked at her a long moment before he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "I think you are going to be an _amazing_ mother, Mon."

She met his eyes, smiling at him gratefully, but within a few seconds, her grateful smile turned into an impish grin, her first true smile of the evening. "Well, that makes two of us."

He shook his head, his own grin getting wider at her cocky remark. He placed his hands on her belly, looking at it as he talked. "And you, sweetheart, should know that _humility _is not the best trait in your mother."

She smacked his arm playfully. "Hey! I am pregnant and I am unhappy. Humility is the last thing on my priority list right now."

They remained silent for a few seconds until she spoke again. "You know, it wasn't supposed to be like this. I was supposed to get married before I turned twenty five, my husband and I would wait for a year before we tried to get pregnant, then we'll have two children before I turned thirty and our family will move to this huge, beautiful house in the suburbs." She smiled wryly. "I guess life has its own plan for everyone."

He stared at her, trying to find out what she meant by that. He could feel his insecurity raise its head as he replied uncertainly, "This is not exactly my dream plan, either, Monica."

His tone made her realize how he'd taken her statement to mean. She shook her head to indicate that that's not what she'd meant. She smiled as she placed her own hand over his, which still remained on her belly. "This is better than any of my dreams, Chandler. I get to do this with _you._"

He smiled back at her genuinely, his heart doing a weird flip-flop at her words.

And then they felt it. A strange fluttering movement which turned more noticeable within seconds, and finally followed by an assertive kick. They held their breaths for five seconds, both of them staring down at her abdomen, their eyes wide.

He finally looked up at her, knowing that his face was creased into the same surprised expression as hers. "That's the first time?" he asked her in a hushed tone.

She nodded. "That's the first time," she murmured just as quietly.

The baby kicked harder as he moved his hands around her stomach, making them both chuckle lightly.

He looked up at her again, looking like he was wondering whether or not to ask her something. "Mon..." He smiled as the baby kicked again. "Mon, can I kiss you there?" He applied a gentle pressure with his palm on her belly, indicating 'where'.

Looking at the yearning in his face, she realized how complicated their whole relationship was - He was the father, and yet, here he was, wondering whether he could kiss his baby.

She reached out a hand around his neck and placed her fingers on his nape. "Of course you can," she smiled at him softly.

He smiled back widely, first leaning in to kiss her on the side of her head, and then bending down to press his lips gently on her belly, right above her navel. The baby kicked hard at where its father's lips were pressed. He drew back after placing two more kisses, looking as happy as a kid in a candy store. "Whoa, that _is _a very active baby!" He smiled her, his eyes crinkling. "Are you sure it's mine?" he looked at her dubiously.

She laughed. "Yeah, I am sure." She nodded, looking into his eyes. "For one thing, the baby kicked only when it felt you touch."

He smiled back, a strong sense of déjà vu taking hold of him. He felt like something was shifting in their relationship, much like how he'd felt on the night of Ben's birth.

Her fingers still on his nape, he felt like he was slowly being pulled forward, both of them leaning in, until he could feel the warmth of her breath on his skin.

It was a moment_. _A moment like many others that they've shared through their years as friends. They wondered whether or not to act on it.

The only time they allowed impulsiveness to take over common-sense, it altered their lives forever. Who knows what would happen this time?

He was reluctant to find out, the small amount of self-control that he possessed at that instant, coming to his aid.

But she wasn't as reluctant.

Maybe he was something more than the best friend who'd always lent her a shoulder to lean on. Maybe he was more than the friend whose child she was carrying. Maybe he was more than _everything_ that she ever thought he was.

What if there was more to the connection that she'd felt with him on _that _night, more than they could ever imagine?

"Chandler..." she said softly, her sapphire blue eyes gazing into his.

"Hmm?" He kissed the tip of her nose, trying hard to decipher the meaning behind the look in her eyes.

She leaned in closer, her fingers lingering on his jaw, tilting his chin slightly towards her lips.

It was the same look. The look from _that night. _

And he knew exactly what it meant.

He sat still, breathing hard, wondering what she wanted him to do, although it was clear what she wanted him to do.

God, he wanted to do it, too.

Her fingers were now on his lips, gently caressing them.

With the last fragment of his self-control evaporating into thin air, he leaned forward, his hands moving to frame her face as he leaned in to kiss her.

Screw self-control.

However, the shrill ring of the telephone shattered the moment.

They sprang apart instantly, faces flushing crimson.

He answered the phone on the fourth ring, his breath shaky and uneven. "Huh- hello?" He took a deep breath to calm himself as he waited for the other person to reply. On hearing the reply he turned to Monica. "Hello, Mrs. Geller." He glanced at Monica warily. "Could you hold on? I'll go check whether she's awake."

He covered the mouthpiece with his hand, still not extending the phone towards Monica. "It's your mother. She wants to talk to you."

She motioned for him to hand her the phone, only to see that he was reluctant to.

"Are you sure?" he looked at her uncertainly.

"Yes, Chandler," she nodded slowly. She watched him as he handed her the instrument reluctantly. She had no idea what her mother would want to talk to her about, but she wanted a closure. One more word about her baby, she'd kill her mother.

She took it and got to her feet, moving near the window. "Mom?" her voice holding no emotion whatsoever, she spoke slowly.

He sat still, staring at the French poster on the wall above the TV, Monica's conversation with her mom barely registering in his brain.

His mind was still in a whirl.

They'd been about to kiss. It was a hundred percent mutual endeavor, he was sure of that. Since that life-altering night, her kisses were one memory that he hadn't been able to erase off his mind. He could, but he didn't want to. He knew he loved her more than he loved anyone in his life, but he didn't _Love _her. Or did he?

He was no longer sure. He shook his head to clear off the thought from his brain. _Love _was the last thing they needed now. _Love with its stupid capital L._

He turned his head to look at her, and he could see that she was smiling.

"I know, mom," she nodded. "Thank you," she shrugged, shaking her head. "I know it's a huge thing, but mom, you don't have anything to worry about. I am not going to be doing this alone. I have Ross, I have my friends. And I have Chandler." She turned around to smile at him. "I know. I will," she breathed in, closing her eyes. "I love you, too."

She hung up the phone and returned next to him again, smiling widely. "Ross spoke to mom."

"Everything's okay?" he asked her, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

She nodded. "I don't know what Ross had said to her, but she told me that she was sorry for what had happened tonight. She told that she and dad will be supportive of us." Her smile softened. "She wished us good luck, and she told that we're gonna be great parents."

"Well, that seems to be a unanimous opinion. Of course, only if you consider Joey's 'abysmal' as synonymous with 'great'." They laughed, remembering Joey's comment.

After a moment's silence, she whispered, "I am glad you're doing this with me, Chandler."

He smiled. "There's no one else I'd rather be doing this with," He shook his head.

She smiled back at him for a moment before she rose from the couch again. "I know it's just nine thirty, but I still feel _so _sleepy. God, it's like school night," She chuckled. "All right," she yawned, "I am off to bed. And don't forget, we still have to tell your parents."

He nodded. "I think I can call up my mom, and probably reply to one of my dad's letters."

She nodded as she leaned down to kiss him on the forehead, and his fingers instinctively rose to rest on her abdomen, both of them feeling the baby kick again.

She drew back smiling. "Goodnight, Chandler."

He smiled as he kissed her belly one last time. "Goodnight, Mon."

She turned to enter her bedroom, the same thought running through their minds.

Maybe there was a _Forever._

_~.~.~_

_A/N: Yep, I know, so very sappy, but hey, a little mushiness never hurts!_

_ Just when I think that there are no more Mondler fans out there, you people prove me wrong. Thank you all for the wonderful, wonderful reviews! You've got no idea how much I appreciate them! I love you guys :D_

_I thought of making it twins, too, but backed out of it. I had a feeling that it'd be too cliché. Besides, Monica's chances of conceiving twins wouldn't have been high 'cause she's young, not on any fertility drug, and it doesn't run in her family (Okay, I'll be shutting up now). So, what I am trying to tell is, it's going to be just one baby here :) _

_So, did you like the romance?_

_Believe me, I love writing Mondler romance, just as much as you love reading it! _


	11. Chapter 10

_A/N: I do daydream about stuffs, but never once did I dream that I would be writing FFs, let alone eleven chapters! So yay for chapter 11!_

_This chapter takes place when Monica is 22 weeks pregnant. One fluffy, sweet, **super-long chapter**, coming right up! _

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 10**

"You got _stoned _in college?!" Monica looked at her brother in disbelief.

She had pestered Ross for three weeks, and he'd finally cracked and revealed what he'd told their parents on the night she and Chandler had visited them.

Ross put a finger to his lips, glaring at her. "Will you quiet down?!" he hissed, noticing that most of the heads in the coffeehouse had turned towards them.

"And you told them it was _me _who got stoned?!" Chandler glared at Ross, not caring that a few more heads had turned towards the three of them.

Ross stared from his sister to his best friend, who were flanking him on the orange couch, and exclaimed in frustration, throwing his hands up in the air. "Hey! My lesbian ex-wife is getting married to her lesbian lover tomorrow. Does this sound like a conversation that I am willing to have right now?" He looked from one face to the other again, watching them as they reluctantly shrunk back into the couch.

"But now they do know that it wasn't me, right?" Chandler asked him a moment later, wanting confirmation.

"Yeah," Ross nodded. "And I also told them it wasn't you who melted my dad's records." He averted his gaze to the storage closet, lowering his voice. He knew the other two would kill him if they'd been in a secluded place. When they continued to glower at him, he sighed. "Big picture, please! Now we're all happy!" he nodded at them solemnly. "And that's what matters the most."

Monica rolled her eyes. "Okay, I need to go to work." She got off the couch. "Is there anything else that we need to know?" She looked at her brother pointedly, and when he shook his head, she turned to Chandler. "I'll see you at two?"

She had an appointment with her OB/GYN for the second trimester that afternoon, and she and Chandler had planned to meet at the hospital.

He nodded, smiling. She smiled back and waved at the two of them and at Rachel, who was behind the counter. "I'll see you guys later."

Watching her as she left, Chandler rose from the couch and started towards the counter, but Ross stopped him.

"Where are you going?" Ross placed his hand in front of Chandler, preventing him from moving further.

Chandler raised his eyebrows. "I need to talk to Rachel," he pointed at Rachel, not understanding why Ross was acting weird all of a sudden.

Ross looked at him warily. "You're not going to tell her about… y'know, the whole me-smoking-pot thing, are you?" he whispered. "Because that's another thing that she could add to 'Ross's cons _list'_."

Chandler shook his head.

They'd learned enough from _one _list.

Ross pulled back his hand, nodding in relief. "Okay."

Chandler moved towards the counter, now that the obstacle had backed off, and smiled at Rachel who looked at him warily.

"Did Ross send you?" she narrowed her eyes.

"No, No," he shook his head, thanking God for the millionth time that Rachel didn't know that the whole 'list' idea had been his to begin with. "Rach, I want to ask you something, and please answer me honestly." He laid his clasped hands on the counter as he leaned in.

Rachel sighed exasperatedly. "For the hundred and twentieth time, Monica and I have _never _made out. And I don't know whether she'd been with _or _kissed a woman, but I have _never _been with _or _kissed a woman." _Well_, _I __**have**__ kissed a woman, but I am not telling __**you **__that._ "Inform that to Joey, too."

He looked at her, flabbergasted, and shook his head a moment later. "That was not what I was going to ask, and I am offended by the insinuation!"

She smiled at him sheepishly, realizing that he hadn't asked her such questions ever since his one night with Monica. He had more important things in his life to deal with now. Chandler _had _grown up, after all.

_Huh. Who would've thought?_

"I am sorry," she patted his hand. "What were you gonna ask?"

He took a deep breath, preparing himself like he was about to let her in on one of his darkest secrets. "Okay, umm…" he fidgeted with his fingers nervously. "I need to ask you a favor," he looked at her hesitantly. "And you can absolutely say no."

Intrigued, she leaned on the counter, looking at him curiously. "What's up, Chandler?"

"Rach, could you exchange apartments with me?" he looked at her with serious eyes, and rushed before she could reply. "I mean, it'd be something temporary, like, till the baby comes, and maybe a few months after that. It's just," he shrugged, not knowing how to explain it, "it's just that... I do get to see Monica everyday and that's fine, but it's not the same as being with her all the time; like when she needs something in the middle of the night. Or if the baby keeps her up all night, which she says happens a lot nowadays," he looked at her, pleading. "Just for like a few months till after the baby is born, would you consider trading apartments with me?"

Rachel stared back at him, surprised. She'd known Chandler for over a year now, but this side of him was something new to her.

The sarcastic, quippy and (self) mocking side of him had taken a backseat to a seldom revealed sensitive side, from which she could clearly see that Monica and his baby meant to him more than he'd ever let on to anyone, probably even to himself.

Her gossip-loving brain was screaming just one question at him - _Chandler Bing, are you in love with my best friend?!_ But she ignored it for the moment and smiled at him softly. "That's not a problem, Chandler," she shook her head, watching him as he smiled widely at her.

He leaned across the counter and kissed her on the cheek. "Rach, you're my star! I haven't even talked to Monica about this, but I just wanted to run it by you first, to know whether you'd be okay with it." Smiling, he drew back. "Thank you, Rachel."

"Chandler, Chandler," she caught his arm as he turned to leave. "Chandler, I may be out of line in asking you this, but I just need to know, as a friend to both you and Monica."

He looked at her inquiringly.

"What happens once the baby is born? What are you planning on doing then?"

He frowned, shaking his head. "I don't understand what you're asking."

"I think you do," she nodded. "What I am asking is, Chandler, how do you see this arrangement working in the future? Don't you want something more? Or would you be content with just being the guy who has a child with his best friend and neighbor?"

It was his turn to stare back at her, surprised. He was caught off guard by her question, and felt incredibly uncomfortable under her unwavering gaze. "Rachel, I… um..." he fumbled, not knowing how to respond.

"You guys are my closest friends, and you know that I wish nothing but the best for you both. I cannot tell you how incredibly happy I am for you two that you're having this baby together," she smiled, but it faded a second later. "But, unless you both reach a conclusion as to what the future holds for you, it is not going to be easy," her voice laced with concern, she watched him as he stared at her, still not opening his mouth.

"Rachel, could you come here for a second?" Gunther called out for her, smiling fondly.

She held up a finger to Gunther, indicating that she'd be with him in a second. She turned to Chandler again. "Think things through, Chandler. And keep in mind that every decision that you guys make will affect your child."

He looked at her as she walked away from him, her words reverberating in his brain.

_Don't you want something more?_

_~.~_

Neither had mentioned their almost-kiss episode from three weeks back to anyone. At least he hadn't, he didn't know about Monica. All he knew was, girls talked about everything with their friends. He just wasn't sure whether Monica would categorize whatever was happening between them as 'everything'.

They hadn't even discussed it between themselves. He knew she was as reluctant to bring it up as he was.

Now, as they both walked back from the hospital, seeing his baby again had made him realize that Rachel was right. It didn't just stop with the birth. It went beyond all that, much beyond than what he'd ever imagined. But he didn't possess the energy or the willingness to talk about it with Monica now.

They both were elated, happy, and in high spirits. They'd just found out that their baby was as healthy as it could be. He didn't want to ruin the moment by bringing up a conversation which he was sure that neither of them would know how to handle. He wouldn't even know how or where to start.

He shrugged mentally, convincing himself that the conversation could wait, ignoring that annoying, nagging voice inside his head.

_Don't wait until it's too late. I've known you for a long while now, and you often tend to do that._

Sometimes he wished he didn't have a brain.

They entered her apartment to find Joey and Phoebe there.

"Hey, how did it go?" Joey greeted them.

"Everything's perfect. Eleven inches long, and weighing almost one pound, everything that's supposed to be there is there, and nothing is missing. " Chandler grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat sown on the sofa, smiling widely.

"So did you find out the sex?" Phoebe asked excitedly.

Monica glared at Chandler, taking her place next to him, and turned to Phoebe. "No… According to _someone_, that's against the "theme" of this pregnancy," she made quotation marks in the air with her fingers.

Chandler ignored her look and smiled at her sweetly. "You'll thank me later." He wrapped an arm around her as she moved closer and leaned against him, yawning.

"So what's the _theme_ of your pregnancy?" Phoebe leaned forward in her chair.

"It's a _surprise!_" Monica said with fake enthusiasm, not lifting her head from Chandler's shoulder, her eyes drifting shut.

Joey stared at her, confused. "Yeah, but what's the surprise?"

Chandler shook his head in exasperation. "No, Joe. That's the theme. _'Surprise!' _is the theme."

"Oh," Joey nodded thoughtfully, but shook his head a moment later, looking at Chandler and Monica. "Y'know, something like this would never happen to me."

"Something like what?" Monica asked sleepily, her eyes closed.

"_This,_" he motioned between the two of them, pointing at her belly. "This whole '_Surprise!',_" he shrugged, smiling smugly. "I have a 'No glove, No love' policy."

Chandler smiled back, humoring him for the moment. "Did you know that condoms are only 97% effective?" he asked Joey, the smile still intact. "It says so on the box."

Joey stopped smiling and turned visibly pale. "What! Are you sure?!" When Chandler nodded, he got off his chair, muttering, "I better go check," as he hurriedly left the apartment.

Phoebe stared at Chandler in amusement. "How do _you_ know that?"

He shrugged. "Well, when you have way too much free time and way too many unused condoms that you bought with optimism," he shrugged, "you tend to get bored and pay more attention to these little details."

Phoebe laughed as he added, "But, believe me, in matters like these, ignorance is bliss."

He turned to see Monica, noticing that she'd fallen asleep in his arms. He placed a hand on her belly to find out whether his son or daughter was up, but shook his head a moment later, turning towards Phoebe. "Both the mother _and_ the baby are asleep," he smiled. "Does it always work that way?" he asked her curiously. "If the mother is asleep, does the baby fall asleep too?"

"I don't know..." Phoebe shrugged, shaking her head, looking at him thoughtfully. They remained in silence, watching Monica sleep. "Do you ever wish things had been different?" she eventually broke the silence. On noticing his confused expression, she pointed at Monica. "Do you ever wish _this_ hadn't happened?"

He looked at Phoebe, formulating an answer in his mind, and finally nodded. "On the very first day she told me she was pregnant, I did," he told her honestly. He turned to look at Monica again.

Her breathing deep and rhythmic, he could see her eyes moving beneath her closed eyelids as she slept peacefully. She sighed, pulling herself closer to him, when he placed his palm on her cheek.

He turned back towards Phoebe and shook his head, his expression unreadable. "But now, I know that _this_ is the best thing that ever happened to me."

~.~

He was yet to tell his mother. He'd surprised himself by replying to one of his father's letters, telling him that he was going to become a granddad, but he was still unwilling to call his mother. Probably because it would involve talking to her.

He'd reluctantly disentangled himself from a warm, soft and asleep Monica, covering her with a blanket and kissing her on the forehead. He'd returned to his apartment to find Joey calling every one of his ex-girlfriends to find out whether there had been any '_accident' _(Joey's code word for pregnancy)_._ Now, Joey had hung up the phone and left it on the couch, and he was staring at it, still wondering whether or not to call his mom.

Finally, he forced himself to pick up the instrument, and punched her number in before he could change his mind.

His mother picked up the phone on the fifth ring. "Hello…?"

When he heard her rather breathless voice, he knew he'd picked the wrong moment to call her. "Hey, Mom. It's me. Chandler."

"Chandler, sweetheart! How are you?" his mother cried out in enthusiasm, but before he could answer, he heard his mother's muffled voice drawl affectionately, saying, 'Patrick…'

_Definitely the wrong moment._

"Mother, if this is a bad time, I can-" he started, but Nora cut him off.

"No, no, no, honey. It's fine. Tell me, how have you been? Anything new with you?"

From her tone, he could clearly sense that she was distracted, but he didn't mind. This could even work _for _him.

"I am fine, mom. I just called up to tell you that you're gonna become a grandmother!" He waited for her response, unconsciously holding his breath.

"What?" His mother suddenly sounded more alert.

"Mom, I am going to become a father," he phrased it differently, hearing his mother shushing someone, probably 'Patrick', on her side.

"Chandler, is this some sort of joke you're playing on me?" She sounded more shocked than _he_ had been on hearing it. He wondered whether she'd be less surprised if he told her that he was gay, instead.

"No, it's true," he nodded, even though she wouldn't be able to see.

On hearing her sharp inhaling and exhaling, he knew she was processing the information. She finally asked him a question that he'd never have expected. "Is it Janice?"

He cringed at the mention of his ex-girlfriend's name. He remembered telling his mother that Janice was his girlfriend's name, and he knew that his mother hadn't been too thrilled to hear Janice's hyena-like laugh even through the telephone, but he'd never told her that they'd broken up. He shook his head. "No, it's um... it's Monica."

It took a moment for his mother to respond. "Monica? Ross's sister, Monica?"

"Yeah," he smiled lightly, in spite of himself.

"I thought you guys were just friends. Are you two a couple?"

There had been instances during his college days when Nora had felt that there was probably something more to her son's friendship with Ross's younger sister, but they'd always denied when she'd voiced her doubts to them. But _this_ was something out of the blue.

"No, we're…" he stuttered, "We _are_ just friends." His reply lacked conviction. His mother, of all people, would definitely sense it.

"How did it…?" she trailed off.

"It was a one night thing, mom," he replied uncomfortably, hoping his mother wouldn't ask for further details.

"Oh… How far along is she?"

"Twenty two weeks." He didn't even try to keep his grin at bay.

When she responded, he knew his mother was truly happy for him. "Wow, that's… Honey, that's great! Congratulations to you both! Is Monica there? Can I talk to her?"

"No, mom. She's asleep," he replied, feeling slightly grateful that Monica was indeed asleep. His parents had always possessed a knack for embarrassing him, and he had no idea what his mother would say to Monica now.

"Oh, that's fine," his mother replied happily. "I'd love to talk to her sometime, though. I mean, if that's okay with you both."

"Of course it is, that would be great," he smiled, feeling a warmth towards his mother that he hadn't felt in a really long time.

"Chandler, are you happy?" his mother asked after a few seconds of silence.

Even though his phone conversations with his mother were far and few between, she always made it a point to ask him that.

He didn't know why, but as she asked it now, the question felt more genuine in its intention that it'd ever felt before.

He decided he'd answer it just as genuinely. "Yes, mom. I am happy. Very happy."

~.~

After all the whining and complaining that he wouldn't even attend the wedding in the first place, Ross had been the one to give away Carol. Monica smiled as she watched Rachel play with Ben, wondering how on earth Rachel could possibly not see that Ross had a heart of gold. She felt sorry for both of them.

Phoebe was dancing with Joey. Ross was dancing with Susan. Strangely, she realized for the first time that she'd probably never be asked out on a date, let alone for a dance, at least for the next few years, now that there was a baby on the way.

She couldn't have been more wrong, though.

"Dance with me."

She jumped as she heard Chandler murmur in her ear, interrupting her train of thoughts, almost as though he was reading her thoughts.

She turned around to look at him, smiling, her brain finally registering the song that was playing – Total eclipse of the heart – which was about to end. "You sure you wanna be seen dancing with a fat, pregnant woman?" she teased, smiling, putting up no resistance as her grasped her hands in his.

"I'd love to dance with a beautiful pregnant woman, yes, thank you," he nodded, leading her onto the dance floor when she didn't protest.

She placed her arms around his neck as 'Fields of gold' started to play. He pulled her closer, his arm encircling her waist, his hand finding the small of her back as they swayed gently to the music.

She drew back lightly to look at him when he hummed 'Will you stay with me, Will you be my love' under his breath. On noticing her amused expression, he shrugged. "I always preferred the Eva Cassidy version."

She laughed as he crooned the lyrics in a high-pitched voice until she silenced him. They danced in silence for a few seconds until she broke it. "I distinctly remember someone saying that people would run for their lives when he starts to dance," she cocked an eyebrow, all the while wondered whether recalling the events of _that_ night was a good idea, even as she said it.

He looked surprised for a moment, like he hadn't expected her to remember it. He chuckled a moment later, kissing the side of her head, looking down at her, smiling. "I didn't know I'd be dancing with _you._"

She was wearing a figure hugging floor-length blue dress with white and pink flowers on it. The swell of her breasts rising firmly over its straight edged neckline, the material clung to her curves, accentuating her waist and the slight flare of her hips, drawing attention to the soft mound of her pregnant belly.

She smiled up at him, her dark, soft hair framing her face, her blue eyes shining as they gazed into his, happiness and pregnancy combining to give her features an ethereal glow that he'd only read about before.

To him, she was the epitome of feminine beauty.

She raised an eyebrow as he continued to gaze at her. "What?"

"Being pregnant suits you," he smiled slowly as he leaned in, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear. "You look beautiful."

Her heart thudding against her ribs, she looked into his eyes when he pulled back, observing that his eyes were the same color as the early morning sky. Pale, watery blue. Gorgeous blue.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have the most amazing blue eyes, ever?" she whispered back without breaking the gaze.

"You did," he replied, without missing a beat.

"I did?" She furrowed her eyebrows. "When?"

"When you told me that _my _blue eyes are all you'd want for your baby." The slight smile on his face dropped as he whispered again. "I assumed that that's what you meant."

Maybe it was her hormones, or maybe it was him, but her mind was fixated on just one thought - What would he do if she leaned in and brushed her lips softly across his, like he had on that night?

Even the thought was enough to send hundreds of butterflies fluttering around in the pit of her stomach.

She'd read that babies could sense in the womb if the mother was flustered. That was probably why her baby was kicking up a storm in her belly right now.

Apparently, he had felt the baby kick, too.

His whole face lighted up with joy, warming her heart. "He is just so very active," he shook his head, chuckling, "And so unlike his dad."

She grinned back, but frowned, a second later. "_He_?"

"Yeah, well, 'It' seems very impersonal," he smiled sheepishly, and rushed before she could call him a male chauvinistic pig. "I've thought of a few names for the baby."

"Oh, yeah?" she smiled up at him happily. "What are they?"

"Edward, Matthew, John, or Daniel, if it's a boy, and Natalie, Emma, Erica, or Juliet, if it's a girl." He ticked off his fingers as he said the names, failing to notice her grin getting wider as she observed the look on his face.

"I like Emma and Daniel," she nodded, not revealing to him that those had been her choice of baby names ever since she was fourteen. "But Juliet…" She wrinkled her nose.

"Why?" he looked at her confused. "I think Juliet is a pretty name."

"It _is,_" she nodded again with a smirk, "but when you put it with 'Bing'? Just imagine it. Juliet Bing? I have a feeling that Shakespeare wouldn't be too pleased," she shook her head, grinning widely as he stared at her, unamused.

"Hey!" he started defensively, a second later. "I'll have you know that Bing is…" he trailed off, searching for inspiration, but finally shrugged, helpless. "Oh, who am I kidding? I give up."

"That's what I thought," she laughed as she laid her head on his shoulder.

She felt his shoulder tense under her arms a few moments later as he spoke uncertainly. "Mon?"

"Hmm?" She raised her head to look at him again.

"It is going to be Bing?" He looked at her unsurely. "The last name, I mean. Is it going to be Bing?"

She smiled at his uncertainty. "Of course it's going to be Bing." She touched the tip of his nose playfully. "You're the father, Chandler."

He appeared touched. "Thanks, Mon."

She smiled back, watching him as he worked up the courage to ask her something else.

He breathed in deeply, gathering confidence. "Mon, would you mind if I moved in with you until the baby is born?" He continued before she could reply. "I asked Rachel yesterday, and she told me that she'd be willing to trade apartments with me. I talked with Joey and he said he didn't mind. I mean, why would he? Girl roommate and all," he chuckled nervously before he rushed to continue. "So that just leaves you. And your opinion is obviously the one that matters the most. I mean, if you don't want to live with me, I'd completely understand. But-"

"You don't ever stop talking, do you?" she laughed, cutting him off by placing a finger on his lips. "Chandler, I'd _love_ to live with you," she nodded, removing her finger from his lips when he smiled widely at her, his eyes crinkling.

She pulled his face towards hers by her hand on his nape, her eyes lingering on his lips.

This incredible urge to kiss him grew with every moment, but she knew that this was not the time or the place.

She stood on her toes, brushed her lips against his cheek, and laid her head on his shoulder, pulling herself closer to him, as close as they possibly could get with her belly between them.

She felt the baby kick twice, two rather hard kicks, but she wasn't sure whether he felt it this time.

But that feeling of happiness and contentedness, juxtaposed with a longing for something more that she felt at that moment, in his arms - she was sure he felt it, too.

He tightened his arms around her, kissing her hair as they stood still in the middle of the dance floor, the soft music enveloping them into another world, a world where no one but the two of them existed.

~.~.~

_A/N: God, that was long! I really hope it was worth your wait. _

_Once again, thank you for reviewing the previous chapter! _


	12. Chapter 11

_A/N: Here's the romance that we've all been waiting for. 28th week of pregnancy. And if 'Bugaboo Cameleon' is an anachronism, I am sorry!_

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 11**

Chandler watched as his new roommate puttered around the living room of apartment 20, with a cleaning rag in one gloved hand, and a bottle of Lysol in the other.

She had widened her stance to balance the additional weight due to her ever-swelling pregnant belly. Her feet spread wide apart, her abdomen jutting through the thin material of her shirt, he could clearly see her protruding navel through the material, as she moved around carefully and as swiftly as a woman in her third trimester could. He smiled. Her body had adapted pretty well to the pregnancy.

She sat down next to him on the couch, squirting some Lysol on the coffee table and began to scrub it with utmost concentration. He watched her with amusement as she tried to remove an imaginary coffee ring on the table.

'Nesting', she called it. But he knew it was an excuse for her to fully reveal the 'inner Monica'.

Monica finally sighed and moved back to sit on the couch properly, holding her aching back. "Y'know what, I give up. This thing is_ never_ going to be clean."

"Sweetie, but it _is_ clean." He put down the newspaper he was reading and moved closer to her, placing a hand on her back, massaging it lightly. "It seems to me like you've _nested_ enough. Why don't you take a day off of work and take some rest?"

He had moved all his stuffs to Rachel's bedroom which was now _his _bedroom. The other four had helped, Ross with some reluctance, Rachel, Joey and Phoebe, happily. Not many things had changed in the apartment itself due to the shifting, but Monica was not too thrilled with Chandler's Barcalounger sitting smack dab in the middle of her beautiful living room. That huge, black, hideous thing could never make a fan out of anyone other than Joey and Chandler.

"Yeah," she nodded, leaning in towards him, enjoying the caresses of his hand on her back. "I called in sick this morning."

"You're not sick, though, right?" he pulled away from her and asked her in concern.

"No. I am going stroller shopping with Rach and Phoebe." She took his hand again and placed it on her back, urging him to continue whatever he had been doing. He moved his hand beneath her shirt and she sighed when his warm hand stroked her back. "God, this is better than _any_ orgasm I've ever had."

He laughed, kissing her temple and pulled his hand away, again. "As much as I'd _love _to continue rubbing your bare back, I have to go to work. Not that people would miss me at work," he shrugged, adding as an afterthought, "But I need the money, now that I have a family to support."

She nodded, watching him stand up, wondering whom he meant by _family_. She hoped he meant her and their baby. She wanted a family. She wanted to be _his _family. "I'll see you tonight, then." She played with his tie when he bent down and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll see you tonight," he echoed, smiling. "Have a good time shopping! And, I hear that if you're looking for a good stroller, 'Bugaboo Cameleon' is totally the way to go." He winked at her and turned to leave, but stopped and turned back to look at her again. "Mon, did I tell you that my mother is visiting us this evening?" he asked her, creasing his eyebrows.

Her eyes widened. "What!" Her back straightened involuntarily, as a sign of increased attention.

He stroked his forehead, sighing. "Sorry, I guess I should have told you earlier." He moved towards her again, placing his hands on the back of the couch. "But, yeah, she's coming this evening to see us. Apparently, she's here to promote her 'Euphoria Unraveled' and she wanted to see – and I quote – her _grandchild._" He tilted his head ever so slightly. "Is that OK with you?"

"That she's coming to see her grandchild?" she frowned.

"No." He shook his head. "Is it OK that she's coming?"

"Yeah." She nodded reluctantly. "But I am kinda scared."

"Why?" It was his turn to frown.

"I don't know… Because I am carrying _her _grandchild?" she guessed. Chandler's mother had always been kind towards her, and if rumors are to be believed, Nora even had hots for her brother. _Eww. _But right now, she felt like a teenager about to meet her boyfriend's parents for the first time. And it didn't feel good.

He smiled, ruffling her hair. "There's nothing to worry about, Mon. She's gonna love you." He leaned in and spoke in a low, conspiratorial tone. "But if she offers you any pearls of wisdom on how to be a _wonderful _mother, _don't _take it."

She laughed, propping her back against the armrest of the couch, causing her shirt to ride up on her belly. "I'll keep that in mind." She nodded.

"He's moving around, isn't he?" Chandler asked, watching her bump closely. Although he couldn't see a clear outline, he could make out an amorphous form moving around, restlessly.

"Ever since 5 AM," she replied, as she too looked down at her belly. She looked up at him again. "And _you_ need to go to work." She patted her stomach, smiling. "Don't worry, he'll still be here when you get back. You can watch him then."

"We really need to stop calling him 'him'. For all we know, he could be a 'she'." He grinned and leaned in to kiss on the cheek. "But you're right. I do need to go to work." He opened the door to leave, and just before he left, he turned to her again. "Don't forget. It's 'Bugaboo Cameleon'." He smiled and closed the door behind him.

~.~

But the 'Bugaboo Cameleon' didn't come cheap. Even though she loved her unborn baby, spending that much amount of money on a stroller seemed too extravagant. She glanced at the gorgeous stroller wistfully and moved along the aisle.

"Mon, we need a list." Phoebe tapped her on the shoulder to gain her attention.

"What list?" She started picking the essentials like onesies, nappies, bottles and wipes. Maybe she'd have to come with Chandler to pick out a stroller.

"We're throwing you a baby shower in two weeks, remember? Do you want us to invite your mother?" Rachel's attention got diverted when she saw a hot pink, stuffed crocodile. "Oh, Mon! Look at how cute this is! You're totally buying this." Rachel placed it in the shopping basket.

On the second thought, Rachel wasn't too different from a child, herself. Monica smiled, shaking her head. "Yeah, you can invite my mother. Can I give you the list tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure." Phoebe nodded, pulling Rachel away, whispering something in her ear. Rachel nodded in agreement and they both turned their attention to Monica again. "Mon, can you take care of this? We need to do something. We'll meet you at the check-out counter."

"OK…" she said slowly, wondering what these two were up to. Only when she turned to see her basket after they left, did she realize that she was done shopping, at least for now. It wasn't like the baby was coming tomorrow.

She paid for the items using her credit card, all the while looking for her missing friends. When she turned around, she saw them standing behind her, grinning widely, hiding something behind their backs.

Their contagious enthusiasm carrying over to her, she moved towards them, her curiosity piqued. "What?" she asked them, grinning, herself.

They moved aside, revealing what was hidden behind them. "Ta da!"

The 'Bugaboo Cameleon' in yellow.

Phoebe and Rachel were looking at her like two kids in a candy store, waiting for her to react. "We know you loved it." Rachel smiled at her softly.

"Guys," she croaked, feeling a rush of unexpected emotions. "Thank you _so _much. I love it!" She pulled them into a hug. "I love you both."

"We love you, too, Mon," the girls whispered, still locked in a tight embrace, oblivious to the stares that they were receiving.

~.~

"So, I see that you've purchased the stroller." Chandler greeted her, lightly running his fingers along the handle of the stroller.

"Yeah, it's a gift from Rachel and Phoebe," she smiled weakly, from her place on one of the kitchen chairs, suddenly feeling too tired to even move.

"Wow, that's… that's really sweet of them," he smiled back, placing his suitcase on the kitchen table. "How are ya today?" He stroked her hair.

"I have an insatiable hunger, but everything, both edible and inedible, makes me nauseous. I am fat, I haven't slept properly in two months, my back hurts, my feet hurt, and I cry for just about everything. In a word, I am miserable," she finished, resting her head on her folded hands, looking away from him.

She did sound miserable, but he was not going to tell her_ that. _"Oh, honey, you're pregnant. That's what you're," he tugged at her hand, urging her to stand up. When she did, he pulled her towards the couch as he sat down with his back resting against the armrest.

"Yeah, same difference," she mumbled, nudging him to move further back, and sat between his legs, leaning back against his chest. "Y'know, I'd prefer period pains over this any day."

He chuckled, intertwining their hands, noticing how perfectly her slender fingers fitted between his. "Just two more months, Mon, and you'd be back to your period pains!" he said enthusiastically.

She leaned her head to one side, to glare at him. "You did this to me," she said accusingly.

"And I am not sorry about it." He shook his head solemnly. Her glare intensified as she stared at him with incredulity. "No, no," he rushed to explain his statement. "Not because of that night!" He thought for a few seconds and added, "But, boy, it was a great night…" When she slapped his hand, he returned to reality. "I meant the baby, Mon. I am not sorry that we made a baby together," he kissed her hair.

She looked a little mollified, but she was still glaring at him lightly. "Should I really like you right now?"

"I am afraid so." He grinned, placing their entwined hands on her belly, caressing it gently. "Once the baby comes, you won't even remember this part."

They stayed in silence while she lay in his arms contentedly, but she broke the silence a few moments later.

"How much of that night do you remember?" she regretted asking him that, the instant she said it. Some things were forbidden territory, and you'd be better off if you didn't tread it. This was one such thing.

He deliberated over her question, feeling caught off guard. _All, _he wanted to say, but he stuck with what sounded safe to him. "I remember kissing you," he said softly, pulling her closer against him. "You?"

"Most of it," she replied, her voice just above the audible range, both of them feeling the atmosphere tense up. They could feel the strange silence enveloping them, unsettling them both.

Suddenly, his lips were on the juncture of her nape and shoulder. Neither knew how his lips had gotten there, nor did they know what they were doing there, in the first place. Their entwined hands on her bump came to a still.

She inhaled sharply, the abruptness and intimacy of the moment affecting her in more ways than it should. He breathed in slowly, the intoxicating smell of her skin reminding him of _that_ night. He parted his lips slightly, as he kissed her there.

"I remember making love with you, Mon," he murmured, his lips moving against her skin as he said it. He didn't know whether it was the wrong thing to say, although he knew that it sure as hell wasn't the _right_ thing to say. But he didn't care. All the almost kisses and those innumerable moments filled with sexual tension had reached its breaking point. Some things _had_ to be said.

She closed her eyes tightly, her heart thudding heavily against her ribs. But she slowly opened her eyes, her mind reaching an impulsive decision.

_This _felt right. The feel of his arms around her, the feel of his lips _on _her. It felt as right as it'd felt of the night of their baby's conception.

She tilted her head on his chest to face him, her eyes locking with his. He leaned in, his lips brushing her cheek, slowly making their way towards her lips. He kissed the corner of her mouth, his breath warm on her skin, as he inched his way towards her lips, which she parted invitingly in anticipation.

When he reached there, someone knocked the door.

This time, they didn't move apart in haste. They knew there was more to the moment. They knew that this was just the beginning.

She sat up slowly, breathing hard. "I guess that's your mother," she smiled, noticing his flushed face. He nodded slowly, as he stood up and helped her to her feet.

She moved towards the door, with him following her, and she opened the door to reveal a very excited looking Nora.

"Monica!" his mother cried, pulling Monica into a hug before she could respond.

Monica laughed, hugging the impulsive woman. "Hello, Mrs. Bing."

"Nora. Please, call me Nora." She pulled away from Monica, and turned to smile at her son, who'd moved to close the door. "Honey, how are you?"

"Fine, mom. I am fine." He hugged her, feeling a little nonplussed due to the sudden change of atmosphere. "How was your flight?"

"Terrible." She shook her head, but turned towards Monica and smiled, pointing at the baby bump. "But this makes it all worth it."

Monica smiled back and motioned towards the living room. "Why don't you come in? Would you like anything to drink?"

"No, that's OK, dear." She glanced at her watch. "I am actually in a hurry. I wanted to see how my grandson or granddaughter in there is doing." She motioned to Monica's belly again, grinning excitedly. "May I?"

"Sure, sure." She nodded, feeling the baby kick as it felt its grandmother's touch. "Kicking. Kicking away." She smiled at Nora.

Nora laughed, pointing at Chandler. "When I was carrying him, I never used to feel a thing. Even as a fetus, he was incredibly lazy."

"Thank you, mother." Chandler patted his mother's arm, sarcastically.

"Do you know the sex?" Nora asked, turning from her son, towards Monica.

"No," she shook her head. "But we've picked out names."

"Oh, yeah? Do you mind telling me what they are?"

"Emma, for a girl. Daniel, if it's a boy," Chandler smiled widely, placing an arm around Monica's waist, pulling her closer.

"Beautiful, elegant names." Nora nodded her approval. "They sound strong and honest."

"Yeah, well, nothing could be as fancy as _Chandler,_" he remarked and turned to look at Monica. "I know you were shocked on hearing 'Muriel', but do you know what my mother wanted my middle name to be, first?" When she shook her head, he continued. "Holly. She wanted it to be Holly."

Nora shrugged as Monica laughed. "What can I say? I am a huge fan of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. Charles convinced me to name him Muriel, instead, after his mother."

"Would you like me to name our son 'Holly'?" Monica asked him, placing a hand on his cheek.

"What do you have against our baby?" he asked her in exasperation, as both the women laughed. "Fine, gang up on me."

Monica yawned slowly, glancing at the clock. "This is getting ridiculous. It's just 8, but I'd have no trouble falling asleep now."

"Then you probably should." Nora suggested. "This is one period of your life when you can do almost anything you wish. And you're probably keeping the baby up."

"Oh, but…" Monica trailed off, ticking her fingers among the three of them.

Nora waved her hand. "Oh, don't mind me. I am going to be in New York for a while, I can even drop in some other time."

Monica nodded. Any other time, she'd have been reluctant to leave a guest, but Nora might want to have a word with her son, in private. "Goodnight, then. It was great meeting you, Nora. Maybe we could meet again sometime?"

"Absolutely." Nora hugged her, and when she pulled away, she stroked her bump. "Take good care of my grandchild."

"I will." She nodded, smiling. "Goodnight, Chandler." She kissed him on the cheek and left for her room.

He watched her as she walked away, wondering whether they'd ever talk about what had happened between them, before his mother had turned up. When he turned back to look at his mother, he noticed that his mother was looking at him strangely. "What?"

"You love her, don't you?" his mother asked with a knowing lilt in her voice.

He stared at his mother stunned, his face turning a quaint shade of maroon. "What? No!" he protested, shaking his vehemently.

Nora smiled lightly, shaking her head as she disapproved his denial, her gaze on her son's face unwavering.

Chandler sighed deeply. "Mom, that's ridiculous! I don't love her." Off his mother's look, he continued, "OK, maybe on some level, I do love her. Y'know, as a friend, as the mother of my child. But I don't _love_ her," he ended it weakly.

She came towards her son and took his hand in hers. "Chandler, I write about love, for a living. My version of it maybe a little exaggerated, but I still know what love is. I find it with different men, every week, but you've managed to find it with one woman, which will last through the rest of your lives." She stroked his cheek, with motherly affection. "I don't know when you'll realize that, but I really hope it'd be soon." She kissed him on the cheek and walked towards the door. Just before she closed it behind her, she turned to look at him again. "Think about it."

~.~

He was in his bed, three hours later, but sleep eluded him. He stared at the ceiling, in the dark, thinking about what his mother had said.

Despite all his mother's foibles, he loved her, and he knew that despite all of his, she loved him back. Even though she, along with his father, had screwed up his childhood, he knew she only wished him well. And there was no one who could hit the nail right on the head as well as his mother could.

He wasn't in love, was he? He turned to look at the door, when he heard it creak open, timorously. "Monica?" he called out.

"Yeah," she replied softly, closing the door. She crawled into the bed as he moved to make space. "Would you mind if I slept here with you?"

"No." He snuggled closer to her, underneath the covers, and wrapped an arm around her huge belly. "Bad dream?"

"No," she shook her head and laid her head on the crook of his shoulder. "Couldn't sleep."

Their hearts beat in unison, as both of them stayed awake. She whispered into the silence. "Chandler?"

"Yeah, Mon," he pulled away from her slightly to look at her through the darkness.

She propped herself on her elbow, as she leaned over him. "I remember kissing you." She entwined her fingers with his and brought it to her lips. "I remember making love with you," she whispered, leaning in. Her lips brushed against his in a soft, tender kiss. Just a flutter of two pairs of lips.

At the lip of a black hole, 'time' holds no meaning. It lingers forever, leaving you to live the one moment, for all eternity.

She wanted time to freeze, like it would on the lip of a black hole.

But they pulled apart, content with the delicate kiss. They knew they'd stay awake, even through the soporific silence. They knew they'd be content with just lying in each other's arms.

He closed his eyes, reaching a conclusion.

His mother was right.

He was in love with Monica.

~.~.~

_A/N: Wanna know the reason behind the delay between updates? Lack of reviews. _

_All I received were three reviews by the end of a week after I posted the last chapter, within which time I managed to lose my motivation to continue this story. As a writer, I tend to go with fics for which I receive some feedbacks and know that people are reading._

_This is a two-way street, guys. You want me to update? You're gonna have to give me some feedback. After all, that's the only perk I get here._


	13. Chapter 12

_A/N: I knew that this story is well received, but never before the previous chapter did I know that it had so many faithful readers!_

_Let me just say this, life as a FF writer sucks without feedback. So, I request the readers to let the authors know what they thought of the updates. If you liked it, well and good. If you didn't, then please tell what you think the author should do to improve. Sparing two minutes of your hectic life makes someone else's life a lot happier and less monotonous than you could ever imagine._

_I am sorry it's taking me this long to update, but that's the way it'll be for a few more weeks._

_32nd week of pregnancy._

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 12**

"Y'know, I still don't know why people say yellow is gender neutral." Several little dots of yellow paint covering his pale blue T-shirt, Chandler commented to Monica, as he inspected his own handiwork. He had to admit, the room looked great. "I like yellow!" he exclaimed out loud, and turned to see Monica smirking at him.

"Well, hopefully, _that_ means yellow is not really gender neutral." She laughed, taking a sip of her orange juice. She felt the baby make himself known by the tiny kick he gave her. He liked orange juice, she concluded.

The baby had started to get a little bit lazy ever since it'd crossed the six-pound mark. At first she'd worried, but the doctor had explained that it was perfectly normal, since the baby had lesser space in the womb to move around as it grew.

She wrote the 'kick' count on the notepad next to her telephone and turned to face Chandler, who was now inspecting their Christmas tree. "Eight in one hour," she announced as she came and stood near him, admiring her decorated tree.

"Two more to go, then." He smiled as he kissed the side of her head, wrapping an arm around her waist.

The guestroom, which had acted as Chandler's bedroom, had been turned into the nursery, and was now filled with the baby's stuffs. They both gave _this _as the reason when anyone asked why Chandler slept in Monica's room every night.

The real intent was very different, though, and they didn't possess the energy to explain what had changed between them over the course of these nine months, to everyone.

They were in love, but they were yet to admit it to each other. It made sense to wait until the baby came, to decide what the future held for them. After all, they had all of _forever_ to figure things out.

"So, what did you get Joey for Christmas?" she asked him, her arms encircling his waist as she leaned against his shoulder. They'd all decided on Secret Santa in order to avoid getting crappy, abysmal gifts from Joey and Chandler, two years in a row. She'd picked Phoebe and he'd picked Joey.

"Silence of the Lambskin." He brushed away the smeared paint on her arm, where it came in contact with his shirt, noticing that she was looking at him, clueless. "Oh, it's porn," he shrugged, explaining.

She shook her head, expressing her distaste at his choice of Christmas present. "I thank the Lord everyday that you didn't pick _me _for Secret Santa."

"Hey!" he exclaimed, hurt. "It's _Joey. _When you gift someone a thing, it should be something that they get the most use out of."

"Oh, yeah," she said sarcastically. "That explains the _ribbed _condoms I got last year."

"Yeah, that was Joey's idea" He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him close, at least as close they could possibly get with a huge barrier between them. "You're forgiven."

He grinned, his fingers rising to touch her throat. "Can we move to the kitchen?"

"Why?" she asked softly, her gaze lingering on his lips as he leaned in.

"'Cos there's a mistletoe, right there." He pointed at the small twig that hung in the kitchen.

"We don't really need mistletoe, y'know?" she whispered back, standing on her toes to reach his lips.

"Oh, thank god," he murmured, closing the gap.

If _kissing_ was an emotion, she'd have said that it was the most beautiful one of them all. Slow and unhurried, soft and gentle, his kisses held a promise for their future together.

They drew apart, looking down at her pregnant belly. "Nine," he smiled, counting the kick. The baby, somehow, _always _sensed it when its parents kissed.

She smiled back, feeling the deep blue of his eyes draw her closer. "Chandler…" she started, but they sprang apart as the doorknob turned. If only their friends knew how to knock.

"Hey, guys!" Ross, who was now newly-single, entered, looking surprisingly upbeat. Maybe it was the spirit of Christmas Eve. "How are the parents-to-be?"

"Peachy!" Smiling falsely, nervously, Chandler turned his attention to the yellow stain on his shirt. The couple had turned a deep crimson, feeling like teenagers caught making out.

"Well, you _do _look 'peachy'," Ross remarked, referring to their blushed cheeks. "Oh, hey, you've painted the nursery!"

"Yeah, we thought it was high time." Chandler shrugged.

Ross nodded, realizing what a completed nursery meant. His best friend and little sister were indeed shacking up, what with sleeping together and all (he hoped it was just in the literal sense). He wanted to talk to Chandler about it, but with Monica around, it didn't feel right to start such a conversation. He decided he could have a word with Chandler, sometime later, when Monica was not around. "Great." He nodded. "I am gonna go to the coffeehouse, you guys wanna come?"

"Sure," Monica nodded, moving towards her brother.

"OK, but I don't think I can come out looking like _this_." Chandler motioned to his paint-stained T-shirt. "You guys get going. I'll be along in a few."

The brother-sister duo nodded, and he waited until the door closed behind them. He entered the bedroom and opened the drawer that Monica had allotted for his clothes. Reaching for the back end of the drawer, he retrieved the red velvet jewelry box, opening it to check whether its content was safe. Closing it again, he moved towards the bed and placed it beneath his pillow.

He'd wanted to give it to her ever since he bought it, but tonight was the night. He just hoped it would change her opinion of his gift-giving ability.

~.~

The tension between Ross and Rachel had diminished to a very large extent, and all the six were now in the coffeehouse, together, after a long time. Chandler thanked the Christmas spirit again.

"I am bored," Monica sighed, from her place next to him. "Maternity leave sucks."

"Be happy that it doesn't last more than a few months." Rachel handed Phoebe the coffee that she'd ordered. "I have a job that sucks 24/7."

"That's true." Monica shrugged, and turned towards Chandler. "Can we rent a movie tonight?"

"Oh! Oh! I know what movie you should rent!" Joey said enthusiastically, but Monica cut him off before he could continue.

"A movie that is _not _'Die Hard'?" she asked Chandler again, ignoring Joey's childish pout.

"So you just assume that I would say 'Die Hard'?" Joey asked, offended. When everyone shrugged, implying that that was their obvious guess, he looked even more miffed. "I was actually going to say 'Die Hard 3', but whatever."

Monica rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and I was thinking more along the lines of Bill Pullman wooing Sandra Bullock." She turned towards Chandler again. "What do you say?"

It was not like he had a say in it, but he nodded anyway. "Anything for you." He kissed her cheek and sat up straight. "But all _I_ need now is some coffee. Do you want something?"

She bit her lips, contemplating the question. "Blueberry muffin." She said finally, as he got up. "Oh, wait!" She grabbed his hand as he turned to leave towards the counter. "Two. Two blueberry muffing." She let go of his hand and caressed her stomach fondly, smiling at him. "I am eating for two now. So two."

Chandler chuckled. "Yeah, and that's why I though we could tell Ross that you were just getting fat again."

She smacked his butt in return, and muttered, "You better get away from me before I can stand up."

_This _was Ross's golden opportunity. "Wait, I'll also come." He leapt off his chair and followed Chandler.

"Should I make it two coffees?" Chandler asked his friend who'd sidled up next to him.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Ross demanded in a low, accusatory tone.

"Umm… Getting coffee?" Chandler answered uncertainly.

"No. I mean, _what _are you _doing_?" he repeated, emphasizing a few words for Chandler's benefit. When his friend stared back, clueless, he sighed. "You and Monica, Chandler. What are guys doing?" he explained his question more patiently, like a father to his son.

'I love her' was on the tip of his tongue, but he pushed it back, opting instead for turning a light shade of red. "Nothing. We're doing nothing." He shrugged, failing miserably at his attempt to be nonchalant.

Ross raked his fingers though his hair in frustration. "Look, you're my best friend, and I really wish I wasn't having this conversation with _you_. You guys are having a baby together, and I cannot be more thrilled for you both. But…" he trailed off, sighing, his fingers working through his hair again. Asking about two adults' sleeping arrangement was a lot more complicated than he'd thought. Especially when one was his sister. He realized a moment later that he didn't really care about Chandler sleeping with his sister (in the literal sense, but the figurative meaning was what had brought this whole scenario upon them, in the first place) but what he actually did care about was that, neither of them should end up hurt as result of all this.

"Here you go." Gunther placed the coffee and the muffins on the counter, as the two men stared at each other apprehensively.

Chandler finally broke the staring contest. "Ross, if you're afraid that I'd leave your sister to bring up a child on her own, I'll tell you that I am not planning on doing that." Chandler patted his friends arm comfortingly. "She means a lot to me, Ross. I am not going to mess this up." He shook his head with conviction.

Ross smiled slowly, nodding, wondering from where Chandler had acquired his new bravado. He patted his friend's arm in appreciation. "Thanks, man." He turned his head, his eyes lingering on Monica for a few seconds. His head snapped towards Chandler again, his eyes narrowed, the look on his face, once again accusatory.

"What?" Chandler asked dubiously.

"You love _her_!" Ross hissed. But his eyes widened as he understood the implication of the notion. His _best friend _ and his _sister_! "Oh, my god! You love her!" he exclaimed, happily and a little loudly. "Don't you?"

Gunther, who knew nothing about the topic under discussion, and Rachel, who knew _everything_ about the same, looked at Chandler, from behind the counter, in anticipation for his reply. Chandler stared at the three faces, dumbfounded. He could feel a sense of utter relief when he heard Monica's voice break the tension with 'what's taking you so long?'

"I'll be right over!" he said brightly, carrying the coffee and muffins as he moved away as fast as he could from the three people who were looking at him like he was their prey. "Here." He handed the muffins to Monica, feeling Ross's gaze at his back.

Yes, he was in love, but he was not going to admit it to three gawking creeps!

"Thank you," Monica murmured, smiling softly, holding his gaze for a moment too long.

Yes, he was in love, but _she _would be the one to hear him say it first.

~.~

"Mon, sweetie, wake up." Chandler whispered, patting her on the shoulder lightly, as she slept beside him on the couch.

She opened her eyes reluctantly, groaning as she did. Her eyes opened to a blank TV screen. "What happened to 'While You Were Sleeping'?" she questioned him sleepily.

He chuckled. "'While You Were Sleeping' ended while _you_ were sleeping." He helped her into a sitting position. "You can watch the rest of it later. Tomorrow is Christmas, so we'll have to wake up early." Helping her to her feet, he grasped her hand tightly. "Let's move to the bedroom."

She followed him obediently, feeling more awake now. "What time is it?"

"Around nine." He lifted the covers as she got into the bed, and crawled in beside her. "Are you still sleepy?" he asked nervously, his fingers lingering on the box beneath his pillow.

"Not really," she shook her head, smiling.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Mon, umm…" He pulled out the box from beneath the pillow. "I kinda got you something for Christmas."

She propped herself on her elbow and turned on the bedside lamp, as she started to say, "Chandler, you really shouldn't hav-" but when her sight fell on the box, she stopped abruptly. Something told her that it would be _more_ than whatever she'd expected. She glanced up at him uncertainly.

"Aren't you going to open it?" he smiled, holding up the box towards her. "It's not condoms, I swear."

She took hold of the box from him after a few moments, and opened it slowly. She inhaled sharply at what was inside, her fingers trailing along the length of the gold chain with a locket in the middle. "Chandler, it's beautiful," she whispered, almost reverently.

He moved closer towards her and flipped open the locket for her to view what it held. On one side, it contained a small picture of Monica holding Ben on the day he was born, with Chandler standing beside her. The other side was empty.

"We can add a picture of our baby here," he said softly, pointing at the empty side.

She glanced up at him, smiling. "I love it, Chandler." She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

He closed the locket and took the chain from the box to clasp in around her neck. "You're welcome," he murmured as they lay back down.

She fingered the locket again, flipping it open.

He pointed at the picture again. "I borrowed it from Ross," he whispered. "'Cos you know, that was _the _night." He grinned nervously. She snuggled closer as he continued. "I remember thinking at that moment, 'she's going to be the most wonderful mother, ever'."

She looked up at him, surprised, and glanced down at the picture again. She was looking down at Ben. She remembered feeling _almost _like a mother as she'd smiled down at the child at her breast, with affection. She inspected it closely again, this time focusing on Chandler alone. His arms were wrapped around her, exuding a gentle possessiveness. He was not smiling for the camera. He was smiling down at _her_.

An overwhelming, unfamiliar emotion choked her as she pulled herself closer to him. "Chandler, I…" she breathed, wanting to say more, but the words evading her.

"Yeah, Mon?" he smiled, brushing her hair from her face as he gazed into her eyes.

She shook her head simply, before she leaned in to kiss him.

The baby kicked two times, in quick succession, as their lips met. He drew back grinning, pecking her lips two more times. "Somebody's chaperoning," he chuckled, pulling her closer as she laid her head on his chest, wrapping an arm around her, over her belly, protectively. "Goodnight, Mon."

"Goodnight, Chandler," she smiled against his chest as she fell asleep.

~.~

She woke up for the second time that night, with an incredible urge to pee. Pulling herself away from Chandler's embrace reluctantly, she fumbled her way through the darkness, finally managing to enter the living room.

She flicked the light switch on and made her way to the bathroom. The reflection in the mirror made her smile. The locket shone brightly under the light.

She touched it again and moved towards the toilet. Hiking up her nightdress, she found it.

A streak of red, curving its way down her calf. She was bleeding.

She stared at it, mesmerized. An overwhelming sense of surreality descending upon her, she stared down at the blood, unmoving.

She bent down and pressed her fingertips against the red line, bringing it up to her eyes, to see.

The redolent smell of iron filled her nostrils, the blood looking almost black under the light.

This was no dream.

She stood frozen, a slow numbness spreading through her body.

She stood frozen, hoping her baby was still alive.

~.~.~


	14. Chapter 13

_A/N: This is becoming a frequent occurrence (unlike my updates), but yeah, sorry for the delay. In the past one month, I've read like six - seven books, and, well, I love books, so I got a little carried away. Reading is absolutely essential to improve one's writing, so wouldn't you be happy if my writing improved? :)_

_Thank you, thank you for the awesome reviews! :D_

_Anyway, I've tried my hands at Mondler angst in this chapter. **The contents might be disturbing for some people, ergo, I'd suggest reader discretion.**_

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 13**

Chandler tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable, but the light coming from beneath the door bothered him. His eyes opened reluctantly, and the first thing he noticed was that he was alone on the bed. The clock read 10:34, and he knew that Monica was probably in the bathroom. It was times like these during which he thanked the Lord that _he_ was not a pregnant woman. With so many trips to the bathroom and a frequently interrupted sleep, he sure would be cranky in the mornings.

He closed his eyes again, deciding to wait for Monica to return, but as minutes passed, he got off the bed, wondering what on earth was taking her so long. He entered the living room and closed his eyes in reflex, when the bright light in the room blinded him momentarily. "Mon?" he called out, his eyes closed, but heard no reply.

His eyes adjusted to the brightness slowly, and he opened them again, moving towards the bathroom door. He knocked the closed door once. "Monica, is everything alright?"

"There's blood, Chandler," came her reply, after a lapse of a few seconds, her voice dazed.

He strained to hear what she was saying, but the word 'blood', as it caught his attention, reverberated in his brain, quickening his pulse. "What?" he asked, hoping he had heard her wrong. He had asked her not to lock the bathroom door while she used it. He called it precaution, and she called it paranoia, but at least, she obeyed. He opened the door, scared of what had happened, of what _could _happen. "Monica, what-" he started, but stopped still in his tracks.

She held up two fingers for him to see, their tips covered in blood. "There's blood," she repeated, her voice awe-tinged. Her face had paled, but her eyes took on a pleading expression, begging him to fix the problem somehow.

He moved closer, watching the trail of blood as it lethargically reached her ankle. She lifted her nightdress to reveal the thin curving line.

All his life as an adult, he followed one routine when something went wrong; he panicked. But now, panicking was not an option. He had to stay strong, or at least visibly so, for her sake. He breathed in slowly, deeply, in an unsuccessful attempt to calm himself. "Mon, we have to get you to the hospital," he told her with a calmness that he did not possess. "Just," he breathed in again. "Just be here for a second. I'll go get Rachel and Joey."

She nodded, tears springing to her blue eyes as reality finally started to sink in. "I even counted ten kicks in the morning," she said, sounding small, lost and completely defeated.

He placed a hand on her cheek, wanting to reassure her somehow, but unable to bring himself to say anything. "It's probably nothing, Mon." His words sounded empty and weak, even to him. "Just one second." He moved away from her swiftly, towards the door, and stopped for a second as she spoke again.

"I am scared, Chandler," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I know, sweetie." He nodded, for once knowing _exactly _what she meant. He was scared, too. "I know." His gaze lingered on her face for a moment before he started towards their apartment door, a sense of urgency filling him as he ran towards apartment 19, seeking the help of their friends.

He knocked hard on their door, one dark thought crossing his mind. _Maybe the other side of her locket would remain empty. _As quickly as the thought entered his mind, he reprimanded himself. He will _not _allow darkness to seep in.

But the thought still lingered, and he knew it would remain deep-seated in the corner of his brain, for the rest of the night. He just hoped that the paranoid premonition would not come true. He just hoped life wasn't so brutal, although he, of all people, knew how pitiless it could be.

~.~

Their friends comforted him the same way he had tried to comfort Monica. _'It's probably nothing.'_ He nodded, feeling too drained to respond, wondering if this was how Monica was feeling right now. No, she was going through something that he could not even imagine.

Phoebe stroked his arm, with the other three murmuring something that his brain was unable to process.

"Maybe she could deliver the baby now," Rachel said, taking her seat beside him. They all looked tired, haggard, but he could see the nervousness in their behavior, sense their fear. They were almost as scared as he was.

"Maybe." He nodded, suddenly feeling suffocated with the four of them huddling close to him.

They had taken her in, less than an hour ago. "I don't want to lose our baby, Chandler," she had whispered to him before they took her to the examining room.

The look of fear in Monica's eyes as she had said it was something he had never seen before. He had wanted to comfort her, to hug her and tell her that everything would be alright. But he couldn't promise her something that _he _wasn't even certain about.

So he had watched helplessly as they took her inside, her red rimmed eyes lingering on his face until the door closed behind her.

He didn't want to lose their baby, either. He stood up abruptly, taking a step away from the others. When Ross raised an enquiring eyebrow, he shook his head. "I uh…" he ran his fingers through his hair, inhaling deeply. "I just need a walk." They nodded their understanding before he turned away again. He walked out the hospital slowly.

He remembered reading that third trimester bleeding was not uncommon, but optimism had never been his forte.

He moved towards the fountain at the hospital entrance, feeling the water droplets as they drizzled on his skin. These were the few drops that had managed to escape the perimeter that was circumscribed to them, but their fate was even worse than that of those that fell within the base of the fountain. Those that fell outside were the ones that had no choice but to evaporate.

This thing between him and Monica was an aberration that wouldn't have happened if not for the one drunken night. And that's what scared him. The baby in her womb was the testimony to his love for Monica, which until that one night had been nothing but platonic, but nonetheless more powerful than the most profound feeling that he'd felt towards anyone else.

He closed his eyes, allowing the dark thought in the corner of his mind to come to the forefront. He wondered whether _they_ would evaporate like the water drops, if their baby died.

His eyes stung with unshed tears as he opened them again, his vision blurred as he stared into the water. The pennies at the bottom shone under the moonlight. Hundreds of wishes made, some of which came true while the rest of them didn't.

He did not believe in God. He had lost his faith in the presence of a higher power, when his parents got divorced. He was not the one to pray. But now, he was willing to make an exception.

He looked up at the sky, the place where they all said God resided. "Please, let them both be safe," he murmured into the cold winter air, watching as his breath turned into fog. He held his head turned towards the sky, for this position helped him better to contain his tears. Since he was a child, he hadn't cried, either.

He was no longer aware that Christmas would be upon them within a few minutes. All that he knew was his life would never be the same again if something happened to his baby. He cannot live without her. He cannot live without their baby.

He didn't hear the footsteps that echoed behind him. He didn't notice Joey until he was right in front of him.

"Chandler, Chandler, the doctor…" Joey trailed off, panting as he struggled to regain his breath. "The doctor says everything is okay." Joey smiled widely, relief showing in his features, even as he struggled with his breath.

Blood pounded in his ears, his veins flooding abruptly with such an enormous sense of relief. His limbs moved instinctively towards the hospital building, at a pace that Joey could never match.

Rachel, Ross and Phoebe, who were grinning widely, moved towards him, their arms wide open. "It's okay, Chandler," was their collective statement, which made him feel a lot better than 'It's probably nothing.' He hugged them back before moving towards Dr. Nelson.

"Mr. Bing." She smiled sympathetically. "The baby is fine." She nodded before he could ask. "Ms. Geller is also fine. She is slightly effaced, but her cervix is still intact. We monitored the baby's heartbeat, and yes," she smiled again. "The baby is absolutely fine."

He felt an extraordinary urge to hug and kiss the woman, but instead, he smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you, doctor."

"But," she added with a raised eyebrow. "She is still weak, and just to be on the safe side, I don't want her to strain herself much. I'd suggest bed rest until the baby is born."

"Absolutely." He nodded, oblivious to the fact that the other four were nodding behind him. He smiled at the doctor nervously, his environment taking hold a sense of surreality. "Can I see her?"

"Yes, you can." The doctor patted his arm and moved away.

He moved towards the examining room hesitantly and opened the door, to find her lying on the table. She sat up slowly on seeing him.

"Hey," he murmured. One look at her face, he knew she'd been through hell and back.

"Hey." She tried as hard as she could to hold back her tears, but still a few rolled down her cheeks as the stress of the night took its toll on her. "I was scared," she murmured when he came closer.

Her hair stuck to her forehead with sweat. He brushed it from her face, pressing his lips against her forehead. "Me, too." She hooked her pinky with his. "It's alright now," he said, his voice cracking, sounding like he was trying not to cry, even as he wiped her tears away with his thumb.

"I know." More tears spilled from her eyes as she nodded.

He gently pulled her into his arms as she cried, her tears moist in the crook of his neck.

She hugged him back fiercely. When she felt his warm tears permeate her thin hospital gown, she realized he was crying, too.

They cried on each other's shoulders with relief, with hope, with the realization that if they'd lost their baby, it'd have been the end of their world.

~.~

"If you need anything, _anything_ at all, we're right across the hall." Rachel held Monica's hand firmly with one of her own, while her other brushed her cheek tenderly. "Okay?" she asked her, and waited until she nodded. As she did, Rachel rose from the bed and pecked her friend on the forehead. "I am so glad that you're okay." She pulled away, smiling. "Goodnight, Mon." She moved towards the bedroom door, with Joey behind her.

Joey paused at the door and pulled Chandler into a hug. When he pulled away, he glanced at his watch. "Hey, guys, Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas," they chorused, and the other two left the apartment, leaving them alone.

Chandler sat beside her on the bed, leaning forward to get hold of her hand. "Do you want something? Some water?" He tried to move, but she tightened her grasp.

"Don't go." She tugged his hand, trying to get him closer to her. "Stay with me."

"Okay. I am not going anywhere." He smiled, crawling into the bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her, the presence of the huge barrier of her pregnant belly between them being the most welcome feeling. "Merry Christmas, Mon."

"Merry Christmas," she murmured back, relishing the feeling of safeness in his arms, the feeling that had been missing for the past several hours.

People always said '_embrace life_', but it was this night that had taught them to embrace life with all its fragility, frailty and tenuousness. Life was the thin thread that connected them together, and if lost, it could never be regained.

"I love you, Monica," he whispered, peering into her eyes. His heart thudded against his ribs, his breath came in short, fast rasps, but he held her gaze, feeling her own quickened breath on his skin.

All through her life, she had wanted a family, she'd wanted love. And _this _was that love, right there, holding her in his arms.

She leaned forward, brushing her lips against his, and pulled back, their foreheads touching. "I love you, too," she breathed against his lips, before she laid her head on his chest.

He tightened his arms around her, his heart still beating at a pace beyond what would be considered normal. He felt a strange sense of fulfillment and contentment, as he breathed in the scent of her skin.

Everything he would ever want in his life was already in his arms.

~.~.~

_A/N: You thought I'd kill off the baby? I could never do that to Chandler and Monica… :)_

_Only a couple more chapters left! I'll try to update it soon, but am not making any promises this time (since I always, I mean **always**, break them). I have to submit a paper on the plasmid from a rare bacterium, by the end of this month. So, I'll** try **to update this and the other two fics within this month, and if not, they'll be continued in April._

_To the one very persistent reader/reviewer, I promise that 'If it's Love' **will **be continued, and that it will **not **be left unfinished. If I plan on discontinuing any of my series, you guys will be the first ones to know._


	15. Chapter 14

_A/N: __Once again, I'm sorry for all the promises I've broken. I can now say with certainty that I'm not good with promises._

_Before you read this chapter, it might help you to know that I've never been through labor, nor have I ever written a birth scene. I've watched birth scenes in movies and I've read one or two books describing them, but none were very helpful._

_But the God's honest truth here is, **I've never, ever written something that was so effing hard to write!**_

_I thank every one who reviewed the last chapter and urged me to continue. Lisa, if Chandler seems a bit out of character in this fic, it might be due to the fact that this is one of my very first stories. I had no experience in writing stories back then, and I'm guessing there are still some areas in which I need to improve. I'll work on them :)_

_Now that this story is all but done, with the exception of a possible epilogue, I have a request for the few who have this story on alert list, but refrain from reviewing._

_I've spent countless hours writing this chapter (and this story) and it would mean a lot to me to know what you thought of it. _

_**Disclaimer**: No, I don't own 'Friends'. And I've done a paraphrasing of a line from 'Lolita' by Vladimir Nabokov, which doesn't belong to me, either._

_ February 7, 1996. (Remember, the due date is supposed to be Feb 18th.)_

**Forever and a Day**

**Chapter 14**

Monica winced in pain when the baby kicked her ribs. "Oh!" Her hands raised to rest on her impossibly large belly.

"Are you okay there, Mon?" Phoebe asked, frowning in concern.

It'd been the first kick that day. For some strange reason, the baby hadn't moved since morning. Her pregnant belly felt taut, and the muscles, tense; something that worried her. "Yeah," she nodded, still slightly shocked.

She treasured these strong, albeit tiny kicks. They seemed to reassure her that her baby was indeed fine, which was a reassurance she sought constantly, ever since that night which had taught her not to take things for granted. "Yeah," she murmured again to herself, shifting a little to make herself comfortable on her bed.

"Okay..." Phoebe seemed doubtful, but resumed working on Rachel's make up. Ross had finally asked Rachel out on a date, bringing their 'will they/won't they' story to an end. Phoebe continued with her conversation. "It's a good thing your parents taped your prom night. Good thing for the lobsters."

"Lob- lob_ster_?" Rachel asked, looking at Phoebe in the mirror. "That's funny. I had a very similar, but a _very _strange conversation about lobsters with Ross, yesterday. So what's the deal with lobsters?"

"Lobsters mate for life," Phoebe said with conviction.

"No, they don't." Monica shook her head. "Penguins. Doves, and penguins mate for life. Lobsters do not."

"Sure they do! They get together, have babies, and live together happily forever," she nodded confidently. As an afterthought, she added, "Kinda like you and Chandler."

"It's nothing like me and Chandler," Monica mumbled, absentmindedly stroking her belly.

Although she loved him more than she thought possible, and knew he loved her the same, 'forever' seemed to be a concept that she couldn't afford to dream about now. They had to tread this line carefully. 'Forever' was foreign to them both, with neither being particularly great at relationships.

"Say what you want. You know I'm right." Phoebe shrugged. "Where _is _Chandler, anyway?"

"We ran out of orange juice. He's gone out to get some." She closed her eyes in concentration when she felt an intense pain spread across her lower abdomen. The pain was not very different from menstrual cramps, only this was more persistent, and more recurring. _Braxton and Hicks, _she told herself. It had to be. If it was the real thing, the baby would be eleven days early. That couldn't be the case, so it _had _to be a false alarm.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Rachel frowned, moving towards Monica. "I could stay with you here tonight, if you want. I'll just call up Ross and let him know."

Monica caught Rachel's elbow as she moved away. "No, no. I'm fine. Chandler should be back soon anyway. Orange juice usually makes the baby move, and he didn't kick, all day." When she saw her friends' concern grow further, she hurried. "Until just a few minutes back. So, I'll be fine. Besides, if you cancel on my brother tonight, he'll be really disappointed," she smiled tiredly.

"You sure?" Phoebe asked again. "'Cause I can stay. I don't have a date with your brother," she grinned.

"I'm sure, Pheebs," Monica smiled, nodding.

"I'll stay until Chandler returns, then." Phoebe sat down on the bed. "You can leave, Rach. Have a pleasant night! Don't let those shaved legs go to waste." She winked at Rachel.

When Rachel blushed, Monica groaned. "Could we please not talk about my brother and my best friend having sex? Euphemism or not, it's not really a topic I want to discuss. Besides, it's just the first date for crying out loud!"

"Yeah," Phoebe nodded sarcastically. "You're the one to talk."

Oh, well. _She did have a point_, Monica conceded mentally.

"Who's the one to talk?" Chandler entered the bedroom, following a perfunctory knock on the already half-open door. "Hello, ladies."

"_Chandler Bing,_" Phoebe addressed him in what she believed was a seductive tone. "Is that orange juice in your bag, or are you just happy to see me?" she asked him coyly.

Chandler stared back, bewildered. "Was it just me, or did that sentence make no sense, whatsoever?" he asked the other two girls.

Monica nodded back, chuckling.

"Pheebs, it's just orange juice," he assured her with a smile. "Although, I _am _happy to see you, but I'm not having any... biological reaction, if that's what you mean."

"That's always nice to hear," Phoebe shrugged, getting off the bed. "You're meeting him at the coffeehouse, right?" she asked Rachel.

"Yeah."

"I'll go with you," she said to Rachel as they both headed out the door. "And I'll let you get back to _your_ lobster," she said, her weird voice returning, as she waved at Monica, closing the door behind her.

"She's _still_ on that lobster story?" Chandler sat down on the bed, and handed Monica the orange juice carton.

"Feel this." She took his hand, and placed it on her abdomen, looking at his face to see whether he could feel what she felt.

"It feels so... hard." His hand held still by hers, he frowned. "Is that normal? I mean, I remember reading somewhere that it becomes that way when you're having contractions." His eyes widened suddenly. "Are you having contractions? Does it pain? Did he kick, at all? Do we need to go to the hospital?"

"Chandler, you're hyperventilating," she smiled, placing a hand on his cheek.

"Well, you're not answering my question," he countered, retrieving the orange juice carton from her hand, opening it, and placing it in her hand again. "Drink."

She took a sip, and closed the lid again. "Yeah, he did kick once. Like," she glanced at the bedside clock, "some ten minutes back. And I am having some contractions, but I don't think I'm in _labor._"

"How would you know that?" he nudged her to move, and laid down beside her. "Is there like a guidebook or something?"

"Well, for one thing, there's still eleven more days-"

"I'm pretty sure the baby doesn't have a calendar inside."

"And for another, my mother keeps telling me, 'when it's the real thing, you just know'."

"Hmm," he sighed, wrapping an arm around her. "Just tell me if it hurts, okay?" he murmured, his fingers caressing her back. "Tell me if you think something's wrong."

It did. It did hurt. But not so bad that she needed to tell him _right now_. _If it gets worse_, she promised herself. If it got worse, she'd tell him. "I will," she murmured back, kissing him softly. "Hey, will you promise me something?" she asked when they pulled back.

"Anything." His hand returned to her belly, his fingers gently probing her skin, like he was searching for something.

"No 'knock-knock' jokes while I'm pushing."

"I promise." He laughed, kissing her forehead. "But what if we get bored?" he asked, frowning worriedly.

"I'm guessing 'bored' will be the last thing I'll be," she nodded. "And if _you_ get bored, I think you should know better than to let it show."

"I'll work on it," he smiled. "Aren't you gonna drink some more?" he asked, pointing at the juice carton.

"Nah," she shrugged. "He did just move, so I know nothing's wrong. He's just being a lazy boy today," she smiled.

"Good to know that he has at least some 'Bing' traits," he murmured again, running his fingers through her hair.

"A penny for your thoughts," she said after a few moments of silence. She shifted uncomfortably, beginning to feel the pain spreading slowly again. It was getting more frequent.

"Nothing," he shrugged, oblivious to her discomfort. "Have you, um…" he started tentatively, his fingers trailing down her arm. "Do you ever think about what we're gonna do? I mean, once the baby comes?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, finding that no position was comfortable anymore. Why would he choose _this _moment to have this conversation?

"Like what will happen to _us?_ Do we live together, or do we wait for some time? Or, y'know, should we..." he trailed off, not knowing where he was going with this. He frowned when his hand reached her belly again. "Oh, my god! I can feel that!" he bolted upright on the bed, his expression that of a deer caught in the headlights. "What's happening?" he demanded, looking at her for answers.

The only thing he got from her in reply was a sibilant intake of breath, which told him that she was indeed in pain. "Ok, that's it." He got off the bed, his hand reaching for hers. "We're going to the hospital."

"It's fine." She resisted when he urged her to sit up. The pain was subsiding slowly. "I'm okay now. It's just a false alarm."

"Mon, honey, I know you don't like to admit it when you're not feeling well, but nobody's going to judge you if you're in labor."

She smiled, shaking her head. "I know, I know. But it's nothing to worry about, Chandler. Don't you remember what the doctor said? It's just my body preparing for the real labor. I'm fine." She moved to sit up on the bed, her movements excruciatingly slow, her hands bracing her abdomen like the baby was going to slip out. "I do have to pee, though. I've been wanting to, for a very long time now." She held his arm as she got up, kissing him on the cheek. "I should be back in a few. If I'm not, you may have to help me out," she smirked.

"Helping pregnant women out of toilets is my favorite pastime." He patted her shoulder. "Go."

As she took a second step, she felt the distinct 'pop' of her water breaking, and a gush of warmth flooding down her legs. She turned to look at Chandler, who was now staring down at the clear liquid pooling at her feet. "On the second thought," she breathed, "I think I might be in labor."

~.~

"Okay! Okay! We need the hospital bag. Where's the damn hospital bag?" Chandler searched under their bed, his back straightening a few seconds later. "How can it be here, when it's in the nursery."

"Chandler."

"Got the bag… Now we need to tell the others." He stared at the phone. "Joey's across the hall. Right. I'll be back in a sec." He held her shoulders, gently pushing her towards the couch. "Don't move. Just stay here."

"Chandler, will-"

"Two seconds." He dashed out of the apartment, the door slamming shut behind him.

She had changed into new clothes, and she'd gotten to pee. Strangely, she felt calm, like she had done this a hundred times before. She wondered for how long this 'calmness' was going to last. She reached forward to grab the bag, which they'd packed together meticulously just a few weeks back. The locket he'd given her on Christmas eve swung free of her dress. She touched it gently. It was her source of strength.

He stormed back into the apartment, the door once again closing with a loud bang. "Joey knows. And he says he'll get hold of the others and bring them all to the hospital, as soon as possible." He pulled the bag from her grasp, carrying it on his shoulder. "Cab. We need a cab. I'll go down and get one." He started towards the door again, but stopped abruptly. "Oh, shit! Do we need to call Dr. Nelson and let her know?"

"Chandler, Chandler," she caught his arm when he reached for the phone. "Look at me." She stood up slowly, her hands framing for his face. "It's going to be okay," she whispered, standing on her toes.

He smiled for the first time in fifteen minutes. "I know," he nodded, leaning in to brush his lips against hers. "I know," he whispered back again, kissing her softly on the forehead. He tilted his head to one side, inquiringly. "Hey, I thought _I_ was supposed to be reassuring _you_!"

"Well, you're doing an awesome job." She nodded, smiling. Her grip on her shoulders tightened suddenly, the smile vanishing from her lips. "We may need to get to the hospital soon, though. Go get the cab." She winced as she moved towards the phone. "I'll call the doctor."

"Okay, okay, right," he nodded, returning to his 'panic' mode. "Just- just be here. I'll be back before you know it." He ran towards the door, and stopped again. He ran back towards her, and pressed his lips against her temple. "I love you," he mumbled before he headed back out the door.

~.~

Chandler helped Monica out of the cab. "The last one was five minutes apart, and lasted 43 seconds," he told her, pulling a wheelchair for her to sit down. "Was it too bad?" he asked, pushing the wheelchair towards the reception.

"Hmm," she nodded, struggling to catch her breath.

'Conserve your energy for the toughest part'. The books always said that. 'Conserve your energy'. And all she had wanted to do was scream out loud.

Time was ticking away, and she knew she'd return to that hell in about a minute. She reached for his hand and grasped it tightly in her own. "Stay with me through this," she pleaded when he leaned down to hear what she was saying.

Another contraction hit her, starting at the top of her uterus, slowly building towards its peak. She barely heard him when he replied.

"Always."

~.~

"You've dilated 4 cm. We still have some time," Dr. Nelson smiled at Monica. "You seem to be doing fine, Monica. I'll be back in an hour to see how things are going. Just try to relax, alright?" she told before leaving the room.

"4 centimeters - just six more to go!" he got into the bed, beside her, massaging her back. "How are you feeling?"

"It hurts, Chandler," she moaned. "It hurts so much."

"I know, sweetie," he murmured soothingly. "I know."

"How the hell would you know?" she snapped, bending forward as the contraction reached its crescendo.

"Ok, I _don't_ know," he agreed, shaking his head. "But I can... _sense_ your pain?" he finished apprehensively.

She ignored his comment, breathing through the pain which was beginning to last longer. She turned her head to look at him when the pain slowly ebbed away. "Remind me to never have sex with you again."

"You see, that might be a problem for me in the future," he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as she glared at him. "But I think I can argue with that later."

Ross, Rachel, Phoebe and Joey entered the room a few moments later.

"Hey, how are you doing? We came as soon as we heard." Ross looked at his sister sympathetically. "Oh, I also called mom and dad. They're on their way."

"I'm okay, I guess." Monica nodded, already exhausted. "I'm dilated four centimeters."

"Just 4?" Ross frowned, giving her the 'oh, poor you' look. When Chandler glared at him, his expression changed. "4! That's great!"

"Yeah," Monica mumbled, her fingers finding her back. "My back hurts, Chandler." She sounded like she was about to cry.

The other four nodded at him, and left the room, leaving him to tend to her.

"Ah..." she groaned, when he started to rub her back again.

"Ok, here's what we're gonna do," he said, the desperation in his voice evident. "We're going to _ignore _the pain. We're going to forget that it exists. We're-"

"Chandler, stop talking."

"Ok," he nodded, relieved.

~.~

Seven hours. That's how long it took for the 'just six centimeters' to be achieved.

They had taken her to the delivery room, some half an hour back. Dr. Nelson, two nurses, and Chandler were standing around her, and all she heard was them chorusing either 'push!' or 'don't push!'. If they couldn't make up their minds, how the hell was she supposed to?

She was no longer aware of the time. All she was aware of was the excruciating, and ever-present pain. She could no longer differentiate the pain from the sense of normality; pain was constant.

Chandler held one leg, under her knee, while a nurse held the other.

A searing pain coursed through her abdomen, and all of a sudden, nothing else mattered anymore. Not modesty, not femininity. She panted and sweated, emitting guttural cries from deep within her throat. Just when she thought she might pass out from the pain, she felt him say something against her ear.

"Breathe, honey."

Then she remembered to breathe.

"I can't do this anymore, Chandler." She shook her head, realizing only when his fingers wiped her tears, that she was crying.

"Yes, you can," he said, pushing a drenched lock of hair from her face. "I _know_ you can. You're doing great, Mon. I'm so proud of you, y'know?"

Just then, she felt it. The primal urge to bear down and push; the one that she'd always heard about. She went with her instincts.

"The baby's crowning! Yes, I can see a headful of hair!" the doctor exclaimed. "Would you like to see, Mr. Bing?"

Chandler stared at the doctor, dumbfounded. "I, uh... I," he stuttered, his heart beating wildly.

"It's the birth of your baby," the doctor smiled. "You might regret it later if you missed it now."

He loosened his grip on Monica's hand, glancing at her. She didn't seem to notice. Her eyes were tightly shut, the expression on her face revealing an immense concentration that he had never seen in anyone before. He joined the doctor, at Monica's feet.

Abundant dark hair, wet and matted at the top of the head. He stared at it, unable to move. They'd indeed made a baby together.

The head stayed that way before it went back inside.

Dr. Nelson groaned in frustration. "Monica, you need to push harder. It's just a matter of few minutes now. Just take a deep breath, and push harder."

Her eyes had opened, and through her blurred vision, she looked at Chandler, who was looking at her in amazement, his eyes shining. He held out his hand for her to grasp, mouthing "I love you."

She closed her eyes again, clutching his hand tightly, channeling all her strength into trying to bring their baby into the world.

For some strange reason, her brain thought this was the perfect moment to remind her about the one time that she and Chandler had made love. She found it vaguely amusing that this was very similar to their lovemaking.

She remembered being drenched in sweat. She remembered trying to achieve that one moment of satisfaction.

He had murmured words of adoration in her ear, that night too, and she had forgotten how to breathe, even back then.

A thin wail resonated through the room, and she remembered how that night had been as beautiful as this one, too.

A minute later, she heard the doctor say, "Congratulations, it's a beautiful baby girl!"

~.~

As the little girl continued to cry, so did her parents.

"Would you like to cut the cord?" the doctor asked Chandler, pushing the scissors into his hands. Before he could reply, she held up the baby as the nurse helped him sever the only remaining physical bond between mother and daughter.

"Where is she?" Monica's anxious voice hitched with tears. When the doctor lifted the baby for her to see, she held out her arms.

"We haven't cleaned her yet, but here you go." The doctor placed the baby in her arms, moving away as Chandler came forward.

Her eyes still tightly shut, the baby wailed, conveying her displeasure at being suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar environment. Her parents scrutinized her features.

"She's perfect," Monica smiled at Chandler, tears of joy and relief flooding down her cheeks. "Isn't she perfect?"

"Of course she is," he whispered back, unable to take his eyes off his daughter.

The little girl opened her eyes, her wail turning into tiny whimpers. She had found the warmth that she'd sought, in the arms of her mother.

"Hey," Monica smiled at her daughter, "what took you so long?" The baby stared back at her, baby-blue eyes, unblinking.

Monica looked up at Chandler, smiling. "She has _your _blue eyes."

~.~

They had moved Monica and the baby to a private room. The baby girl, who didn't have a name yet, had been cleaned, fed and was now lying in her bassinet, wide awake, oblivious to the hullabaloo about her.

"She looks so beautiful!" Rachel gushed, looking at her honorary niece. "I mean, look at all that hair! And those eyes..." She turned to Monica. "If I ever get pregnant, tell me what you ate."

"I think it has gotta do more with the sperm, Rach." Joey grinned lewdly, but backed off when Ross glared at him.

"I can't believe my baby sister actually has a baby of her own," Ross smiled at Monica fondly. "Although I'm sometimes reminded that it's with my best friend," he glared at Chandler for a second, but smiled again. "I have a niece!"

"And she's lucky to have _you _ as her uncle!" Chandler patted his back, rolling his eyes when he smiled proudly.

"Have you guys decided on a name, yet?" asked Phoebe.

Joey followed it up with another question. "Have you guys decided on a godfather, yet?"

The new parents ignored Joey's question. "No, Pheebs. We're kinda stuck between Emma and Erica," Monica said.

"Emma!" Rachel exclaimed. "Oh, that's such a _beautiful_ name…"

"Yeah, but we like Erica, just as much," shrugged Chandler.

"If that's the case, then you take Erica, and I'll take Emma." Rachel looked at them like a kid in a candy store.

Monica tilted her head to one side. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't _have _a baby, let alone a baby girl."

"I know, but I'd like to have some options when I do. Please? Pretty please?"

Monica smiled, turning to look at Chandler. "We do like Erica."

"Erica Geller-Bing." He stared at his daughter, then at Monica. "That sounds good," he smiled.

"Yeah. So, Erica it is," she grinned back.

~.~

"I'm so proud of you, honey." Judy kissed her daughter's forehead before she left the room with her husband.

Monica stared at the closed door, then at Chandler. "I've wanted her to tell me that ever since I was a little girl. If all I had to do was give birth to a baby, I'd have done something drastic in high school."

Chandler laughed, sitting down beside her on the bed. "I actually am really proud of you." He pecked her forehead. "I'm glad you didn't do anything drastic in high school."

"And I love you, too," she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him on the lips. "Sorry I didn't say it back before. I was kinda busy," she grinned.

"I know, that's ok," he smiled back.

Following a knock on the door, a nurse entered, carrying Erica. "Your daughter is hungry," she smiled at the couple, handing the baby to Monica. "You remember, right? Wait until she opens her mouth wide. Press her belly against yours, and align her nose with your nipple. That will get her to latch on when she feeds," she told as Monica undid her blouse. "She did well the first time, I guess she wouldn't have any problem now. Let's see."

As she lifted Erica against her, the baby instinctively scrambled for her breast, the little mouth latching onto her nipple, and starting to suckle.

"Not bad," the nurse observed. "Always make sure that the baby's latch is good, alright? You'd both get better at it with practice." She stood there for a few seconds, then looked at Monica, smiling. "I'll come back for her later."

Chandler's fingers stroked his baby's head. "She does have a lot of hair," he murmured, running a finger along one tiny ear.

"Yeah," she murmured back.

"Do you realize that we've both excelled at the art of baby making?" he smiled at her impishly.

"I do," she grinned.

"Maybe we could make another one when we're married," he said slowly.

She glanced at him, surprised. Was he trying to tell her something? "Maybe." She broke his gaze, looking down at the baby again.

The hint of red on her cheeks was the only clue that he had to the fact that she had caught his drift.

The baby's suckling was the only sound, and even that was gradually slowing down. They both kept resolutely staring at Erica, as she drifted off to sleep.

Monica laid the baby on her lap, and buttoned up her blouse again.

"I don't have a ring," he said after one minute of absolute silence.

"What?"

"I don't have a ring. I don't have a speech prepared. All I know is, Mon, I want to ask you, will you marry me?"

She sat still, stunned, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I never used to dream about my future, Monica," he continued. "I never believed in love until that night happened, until _you _happened. Now, every night I close my eyes, I dream about my future." He took her hands in his. "There's not one single dream of mine that doesn't revolve entirely around you. I cannot imagine my life without you," he shook his head, "without our baby. I cannot imagine my life without _us _as a family."

"Chandler-"

He interrupted her. "And if that's not enough, I'm madly, clumsily, shamelessly, _agonizingly_ in love with you, Mon." He leaned forward, leaning his forehead against hers, nudging her nose with his. "Marry me."

She closed the tiny gap between their lips, and pulled back a second later. "No knock-knock jokes at the altar?"

"I promise," he nodded, their foreheads still connected.

"Then, yes," she nodded back, before their lips met again.

She had been wrong. They could afford to dream about 'forever'. In fact, _this _was her 'forever'.

~.~.~

_A/N: So, umm... yeah, that's kinda the end. Lizard, if you're reading this, I made the baby a girl, just for you (I had a baby boy in mind). _

_Hope you guys liked the end and I'm really hoping you people liked the story as a whole, as well :)_

_I had to Google so much information about pregnancy and childbirth (and some things I wish I hadn't seen) for this fic, so very extensively, that my head hurts right now. So yeah... it'd be nice if you'd tell me your opinion about this chapter._

_I have an idea for an **epilogue**, but I don't want to waste your time and mine, if no one's interested. But if you're, let me know. If you aren't, I'd just add 'The End' at the end of this chapter and change the fic status to 'completed'. Anything you want!_

_If this is going to be the end, though, I wish to thank everyone who has ever reviewed this story. I just want to tell you all that every word that you've said has made me smile at some point in the last 8-9 months :) Thank you for that! (That one moment of absolute bliss is completely worth the innumerable hours I spent toiling on this fic.)_

_If a well-written fic is your delight, a well-written, and well-rounded review, is mine._

_My special thanks to – **Veridissima, dancer cherrybug, gAnGsTa GaBbY lOvEs JoKeR, Emily J, Lizard, CC, MatTeneyMoNdlerLoVer and Shyfighter. **I appreciate every single moment that you guys spent on reading and reviewing this story. And also to my '**Biggest Fan**' (I have a biggest fan! :D), thank you! Your review stroked my ego really well ;D_

_Once again, thanks to one and all!_


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